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JOURNAL 


Capt.  Jonathan  Heart 


ON    THE    MARCH    WITH    HIS    COMPANY    FROM    CONNECTICUT    TO 

FORT  PITT,  IN  PITTSBURGH,  PENNSYLVANIA,  FROM  THE 

SEVENTH  OF  SEPTEMBER,  TO  THE  TWELFTH 

OF  OCTOBER,   1785,  INCLUSIVE 


TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED    THE 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE 

OF  1784-5 

THE  WHOLE    ILLUSTRATED  WITH  NOTES  AND  PRECEDED  BY 
A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  CAPTAIN  HEART 


CONSUL  WILLSHIRE  BUTTERFIELD 

Author  of  "  Crawford's  Campaign  against  Sandusky,"  "  The 
Discovery  of  the  Northwest  by  fohn  Nicolet"  "  Wash- 
ington-Irvine Correspondence  "  and  other  works 


ALBANY,  N.   Y. 

JOEL  MUNSELL'S  SONS,  82  STATE  ST. 

1885 


Edition  150  copies. 

No.  -/yd" 


F5/7 


PREFACE. 

*■♦« 

The  Journal  of  Captain  Jonathan  Heart  now  given  to 
the  public,  is  a  daily  record  kept  by  him  on  the  march 
with  his  company  from  Connecticut  to  Fort  Pitt,  in  Pitts- 
burgh, Pennsylvania,  from  the  seventh  of  September,  to 
the  twelfth  of  October,  1785,  inclusive ;  beginning,  how- 
ever, at  New  Windsor,  Orange  county,  New  York ;  as  the 
first  part  is  lost.  The  original  of  this  Journal  has  been 
preserved,  a  copy  of  which  is  in  the  possession  of  the 
Western  Reserve  and  Northern  Ohio  Historical  Society; 
this  has  been  annotated  by  me  at  the  request  of  its  Presi- 
dent— Colonel  Charles  Whittlesey.  Other  Journals  of 
Captain  Heart  (continuations,  properly,  of  the  one  here 
printed)  have  been  copied  by  the  Society ;  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  they  may  soon  be  published. 

The  Dickinson-Harmar  Correspondence  is  made  to  sup- 
plement the  Journal  of  Captain  Heart, — throwing  light, 
as  it  does,  upon  affairs  leading  to,  and  resulting  in  the 
organization  and  marching  westward  of  the  "  First 
American  Regiment,  "  —  of  which  Regiment,  Captain 
Heart's  company  formed  a  part.     These  letters  clearly 


M697695 


iy  PREFACE. 

reveal  the  aspect  of  affairs  immediately  after  the  close  of 
the  Kevolution,  concerning  the  relations  existing  between 
the  General  Government  and  the  Indian  tribes  to  the 
northward  and  westward.  This  Correspondence  has  also 
been  illustrated  with  notes.  A  brief  Biography  of  Captain 
Heart  has  been  placed  immediately  preceding  his  Journal, 
which  may  possibly  awaken  an  interest  in  the  mili- 
tary career  of  one  who  gave  his  life  largely  to  the  service 
of  his  country  and  who  died  heroically  in  the  defense  of 
the  rights  of  America. 

C.  W.  B. 
Madison,  Wisconsin,  June,  1885. 


CONTENTS. 


Biographical  Sketch  op  Jonathan  Heart,     -        -        -        -    vii 
Journal  op  Captain  Jonathan  Heart,         ....  i 

Dickinson-Harmar  Correspondence  op  1784-5,      •  -    27 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF 
JONATHAN   HEART. 


Jonathan  Heart,  second  son  of  Ebenezer  Hart  and  his  wife, 
Elizabeth  Lawrence  Hart,  was  born  in  that  part  of  Farmington, 
Connecticut,  called  Kensington,  in  1748.  He  received  a  classical 
education,  graduating  at  Yale  College  with  high  honors,  in  the  year 
1768.  Soon  after  this,  he  left  his  native  State  for  New  Jersey, 
where  he  was  engaged  at  several  places  as  district  schoolmaster. 
This  manner  of  occupation  continued  until  about  the  year  1773, 
when  young  Heart,  having  accumulated  a  small  sum  of  money,  re- 
turned to  Farmington,  and  at  once  engaged  in  mercantile  operations. 
He  was  very  successful,  and  was  carrying  on  a  flourishing  trade, 
when  the  Revolutionary  war  broke  out. 

He  immediately  placed  his  business  affairs  in  his  brother's  hands, 
and  in  1775  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Putnam's  battalion  of  Connect- 
icut militia.  He  marched  with  that  command  to  the  "seat  of  war," 
in  Massachusetts,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Bunker's  Hill. 
When  the  Connecticut  line  was  formed,  Heart  joined  the  1st  Regi- 
ment, and  served  in  the  same  until  the  close  of  the  war.  From  a 
private,  he  became  an  ensign,  and  in  1777  was  made  a  lieutenant. 
This  year  he  married  Abigail  Riley.  In  1780,  he  was  promoted  to 
captain.  During  the  year  1782,  Captain  Heart  was  with  the  army 
under  Washington  at  Newburgh  and  Verplanck's  Point,  New  York. 
On  the  11th  of  November,  that  year,  he  was  appointed  by  General 
Jedediah  Huntington,  Brigade  Quartermaster  of  the  Connecticut 
Brigade.     He  was  a  good  penman  and  draughtsman,  and  has  left  a 


•y  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

valuable  record  of  the  operations  on  the  Hudson  (1782),  including 
the  organization  of  Washington's  army,  many  of  his  orders,  and 
details  of  the  camp,  not  hitherto  known. 

Captain   Heart  was   one   of  the   very  few  officers   retained  by 
Congress  in  the  service  until  after  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of 
peace  with  Great  Britain.     He  left  the  army  in  the  fall  of  1783, 
and  returned  to  Connecticut.     The  misfortunes  of  war  had  ruined 
his  business,   and  his  pay,  consisting  of  continental  money,    was 
almost  worthless  in  value;  as  a  consequence,  Captain  Heart  found 
it  necessary  to  begin  anew  in  the  struggles  of  life  in  the  hope  of 
obtaining  a  competency  for  advancing  years.     The  shattered  con- 
dition of  trade,  with  a  market  flooded  with  depreciated  currency, 
soon   convinced   him    that   merchandising   on    a   small   scale   was 
up-hill  work,  and  hardly  remunerative.     He  therefore  engaged  with 
a  surveyor  to  learn  that  art,  and  was  advancing  in  a  knowledge 
of   it,    when   he   received   from    Congress  a  commission    as    cap- 
tain i'n  the  "  First  American  Regiment  "—a  force  just  being  organ- 
ized for  service  on  the  western  frontier.     This  was  in  the  winter 
of  1784-5.     Heart  immediately  accepted  the  appointment,  and  in 
obedience  to  instructions  began  to  recruit  in  Connecticut.     It  was 
with  difficulty  that  a  company   could  be  raised.     Recruiting  was 
very  slow;  and  it  was  the  last  of  August,  1785,  before  Heart  was 
ready  to  march  his  command  to  the  West. 

Concerning  Captain  Heart's  journey  with  his  company  to  Fort 
Pitt,  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  arrived  the  twelfth  of 
October,  his  Journal  immediately  following  this  sketch  furnishes  the 
details  so  far  as  they  are  known.  Soon  after  his  arrival  at  that  post, 
he  was  ordered  to  Fort  Mcintosh,  where,  with  his  company,  he  re- 
mained until  the  25th  of  October.  On  that  day,  in  obedience  to 
orders  from  Lieut.  Colonel  Harmar,  he  set  out  with  Major  John 
Doughty,  Lieut.  James  Bradford  and  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Frothingham 
for  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum,  where  they,  with  their  respective 
commands,  built  Fort  Harmar.  Captain  Heart  was  in  command 
there  from  April  20th  to  the  6th  of  August,  1786,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  protect  the  surveyors  of  the   Ohio  Company  in  their 


OF  JONATHAN  HEART.  ^ 

work  of  surveying  the  Muskingum  Valley.  Captain  Heart  was 
engaged  in  this  service  until  the  26th  of  November,  when  he  re- 
turned with  his  command  and  the  surveyors,  to  Fort  Harmar. 

In  April,  1787,  Captain  Heart  was  ordered  by  Col.  Harmar  to  the 
Venango  country,  Pennsylvania,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  fort 
on  French  Creek,  near  its  mouth,  about  150  miles  above  Pitts- 
burgh. Heart  arrived  at  his  destination  on  the  11th  of  May,  and 
immediately  commenced  the  erection  of  an  earthwork.  This  was 
completed  in  December,  1787,  and  named  Fort  Franklin,  in  honor  of 
the  illustrious  patriot, philosopher  and  statesman,  Benjamin  Franklin. 
The  vigilance,  skill  and  care  with  which  Captain  Heart  discharged  his 
duty  in  the  erection  of  the  fort,  was  warmly  applauded  by  General 
Harmar,  General  Knox  and  Congress.  Fort  Franklin  became  an 
important  post  and  fully  answered  the  purposes  of  its  erection;  which 
was,  to  check  the  northern  Indians  by  way  of  the  river  Alleghany. 

In  1788,  Captain  Heart  left  for  Connecticut  to  recruit  for  his  com- 
pany. He  returned  to  the  West  in  the  spring  of  1789,  and  was 
ordered  to  Fort  Harmar.  In  June,  1789,  Heart  with  a  portion  of 
his  command  was  engaged  with  Major  Doughty  in  the  erection  of 
Fort  Washington,  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Cincinnati. 
During  that  year,  the  constitution  went  into  effect;  Washington  was 
chosen  president;  and  the  new  government  began  its  career  of  pros- 
perity. On  the  29th  of  September,  1789,  President  Washington  com- 
missioned Heart  as  captain  in  the  First  American  Regiment.  This 
was  done  agreeable  to  an  Act  of  Congress  re-organizing  the  army. 
He  served  in  1789,  in  an  expedition  to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  and 
in  the  campaign  during  the  fall  of  the  year  1790,  under  Gen- 
eral Harmar,  against  the  Indian  towns  at  the  junction  of  the  Miami 
and  St.  Joseph  rivers,  near  where  the  city  of  Fort  Wayne  now 
stands.  Upon  that  occasion,  he  made  a  plan  of  Major  Wylly's 
battle-ground,  of  the  old  French  post,  and  of  the  Indian  towns  in 
the  neighborhood. 

Congress  having  raised  an  additional  regiment,  Captain  Heart 
was,  on  the  4th  of  March,  1791,  appointed  major  of  the  same.  Not 
long  after  this  appointment,  preparations  were  made  for  St.  Clair's 
campaign  against  the  Indians.     A  force  of  over  1,400  men,  consist- 


x  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

ing  of  a  battalion  of  the  2d  United  States  Infantry,  and  militia 
from  Kentucky,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania  and  North  Carolina,  left 
Fort  Washington  in  October,  1791,  against  the  Indians  of  the  North- 
west. Major  Heart  was  with  this  force,  in  command  of  a  body 
of  regulars.  When  near  the  sources  of  the  Maumee  river,  in 
what  is  now  Darke  county,  Ohio,  St.  Clair's  army  was  surprised  by 
the  savages,  and  totally  defeated,  with  a  loss  of  632  killed  and  264 
wounded. 

During  the  engagement,  Major  Heart  handled  his  men  with 
consummate  skill  and  bravery.  He  led  them  in  person  against  the 
enemy,  and  put  a  number  to  flight  through  the  energetic  use  of  the 
bayonet.  He  had,  thus  far,  escaped  all  harm;  and  when  the  order  to 
retreat  came,  with  the  utmost  coolness  and  gallantry  he  formed  his 
men,  and  cautiously  fell  back  toward  the  rear.  He  seemed  careless 
as  to  his  own  life,  his  great  desire  being  the  safety  of  his  men. 
When  his  troops,  with  a  number  of  their  wounded  left  the  field, 
Major  Heart  was  ordered,  with  a  handful  of  men,  to  cover  the 
retreat  of  the  army.  He  endeavored  to  discharge  that  duty,  but 
had  hardly  gone  about  the  dangerous  task,  before  a  musket  ball 
struck  him  in  the  head,  and  he  fell  from  his  horse.  His  men, 
alarmed  at  the  near  approach  of  the  savages,  left  the  spot  imme- 
diately. A  month  afterward,  a  party  of  American  regulars  pro- 
ceeded to  the  battle-ground  to  bury  the  dead,  when  the  body  of 
the  brave  Heart  was  found  and  recognized,  and,  with  the  remains  of 
a  number  of  his  fellow  officers,  was  sorrowfully  laid  in  its  last  resting 
place. 


In  the  Smithsonian  Contributions  for  1856,  is  a  lengthy  and 
valuable  paper  by  Samuel  F.  Haven,  the  learned  Secretary  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  at  Worcester.  The  following  is  an 
extract : 

"During  the  year  1785  and  1786, letters  from  officers  in  the  army 
to  their  friends  at  home,  containing  allusions  to  Indian  antiquities, 
were  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day.  The  accounts  were 
often  highly  exaggerated,  and  gave  rise  to  burlesque  descriptions  of 
wonderful  adventures  and  discoveries  that  affected  the  credit  of 


OF  JONATHAN  HEART.  x{ 

well-founded  narratives.  General  Samuel  H.  Parsons,  an  officer  of 
standing  and  character,  from  Connecticut,  gave  to  their  observa- 
tions an  authentic  character,  in  a  communication  addressed  to 
President  Willard,  of  Harvard  College.  In  his  letter,  dated  October 
2,  1786,  the  mound  at  Grave  creek  is  described,  the  works  at 
Marietta  are  referred  to,  and  mention  is  made  of  a  plan  of  the  latter, 
which  the  writer  had  previously  sent  to  President  Stiles,  of  New 
Haven.  This  communication  was  afterward  published  in  the 
Memoirs  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  Vol.  II, 
1793,  but  without  the  plan. 

"  There  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  plan  forwarded  by 
General  Parsons  to  President  Stiles,  is  the  same  that  may  be  found 
in  the  Columbian  Magazine  of  May,  1787.  This  was  drawn  by 
Captain,  afterward  Major  Heart,  and  is  accompanied  by  an  elaborate 
description.  In  the  winter  of  1786,  President  Stiles  had  written  to 
Dr.  Franklin,  requesting  his  opinion  of  the  fortifications  at  Muskin- 
gum, etc.,  described  by  General  Parsons  and  others.  It  may  be 
presumed  that  the  drawing  was  sent  at  the  same  time,  as  it  would 
be  required,  of  course,  to  enable  Franklin  to  form  a  judgment  of 
the  nature  and  object  of  the  structures.  Franklin  might  naturally 
transfer  it  to  the  editors  of  the  magazine  in  Philadelphia  for  pub- 
lication, as  a  matter  of  general  interest  and  curiosity.  It  does  not 
appear  as  a  communication  from  Captain  Heart,  and  is  inserted 
without  note  or  comment.  General  Parsons,  who  was  but  two  days 
at  Marietta,  on  his  way  down  the  river,  speaks  of  having  left  at 
that  place,  a  request  with  an  officer  of  learning  and  great  curiosity 
in  his  observations  of  the  natural  world,  to  inform  him  of  his  dis- 
coveries, from  whom  it  would  appear  that  much  of  his  information 
had  been  derived.  Captain  Heart  was  stationed  at  Fort  Harmar, 
on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  and  subsequent  papers 
written  by  him,  manifest  the  qualities  attributed  to  the  officer  above 
alluded  to. 

"  We  may  justly  conclude  that  the  plan  in  the  Columbian  Maga- 
zine, is  the  one  referred  to  by  Gen.  Parsons,  and  that,  next  to  the 
sketch  of  the  works  at  Circleville  in  1772,  before  mentioned,  it  is 
the  earliest  diagram  made  of  western  antiquities.     Capt.  Heart  was 


Xii  •       BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

not  only  one  of  the  earliest  observers  in  this  field  of  investigation, 
but  manifested  a  zeal,  intelligence,  and  comprehensiveness  of 
research,  that  promised  the  most  satisfactory  results.  A  few  years 
later  (January,  1791),  in  reply  to  inquiries  by  Dr.  Benjamin  Smith 
Barton,  he  wrote  a  paper,  embodying  much  valuable  information, 
that  was  read  before  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  is 
included  in  the  third  volume  of  the  transactions  of  that  body.  In 
this  communication,  he  refers  to  a  large  number  and  variety  of 
earthworks  observed  by  himself  and  others  in  the  western  country, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum,  at  Grave  creek,  at  Paint  creek,  and 
along  the  Scioto,  also  on  the  Kentucky  side  of  the  Ohio  opposite  the 
mouth  of  the  Scioto  (the  last  said  to  have  been  accurately  traced  by 
Col.  George  Morgan),  and  on  the  Great  and  Little  Miami.  He 
mentions  that  others  have  been  described  to  him  as  situated  on  the 
Big  Black  river  (the  intended  site  of  the  colony  from  New  England 
before  the  Revolution),  at  Bayou  Pierre  on  the  Mississippi,  and  on 
the  head  waters  of  the  Yazoo  and  Mobile  rivers. 

"  This  was  an  extensive  range  for  that  period,  and  includes  re- 
mains whose  discovery  has  been  ascribed  to  later  explorers.  Con- 
trary to  the  general  tendency  of  the  time,  the  writer  indulges  in  no 
visionary  speculations,  but  simply  gives  his  opinion  that  the  earth- 
works were  not  constructed  by  De  Soto,  because  he  did  not  visit 
the  regions  where  they  are  principally  found,  and  had  no  time  for 
such  labors  anywhere  ;  that  the  state  of  the  works  and  the  trees 
growing  on  them  indicated  an  origin  prior  to  the  discovery  of 
America  by  Columbus  ;  that  they  were  not  due  to  the  present 
Indians  or  their  predecessors,  or  some  tradition  would  have  re- 
mained of  their  uses  ;  that  they  were  not  constructed  by  a  people 
who  procured  the  necessaries  of  life  by  hunting,  as  a  sufficient  num- 
ber to  carry  on  such  labors  could  not  have  subsisted  in  that  way; 
and,  lastly,  that  the  people  who  constructed  them  were  not  altogether 
in  an  uncivilized  state,  as  they  must  have  been  under  the  subordina- 
tion of  law,  with  a  strict  and  well-governed  police,  or  they  could 
not  have  been  kept  together  in  such  numerous  bodies,  and  been 
made  to  contribute  to  the  execution  of  such  stupendous  works.  It 
is  evident  that,  with  the  aid  of  persons  so  competent  and  so  well 


OF  JONATHAN  HEART.  xjji 

disposed  to  pursue  such  investigations  as  Captain  Heart  and  General 
Parsons,  a  rational  development  of  the  nature,  extent,  and  probable 
origin  of  our  aboriginal  antiquities,  need  not  have  been  postponed 
for  thirty  years,  which  actually  elapsed  from  this  period  before  any 
detailed  view  of  them  was  given  to  the  public.  Unhappily,  both 
met  with  a  premature  and  violent  end.  General  Parsons  was 
drowned  in  the  Ohio,  in  December,  1789  ;  and  Heart,  then  a  Major, 
was  slain  at  the  disastrous  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  in  November,  1791, 
when  the  flower  of  the  western  army  were  involved  in  the  same 
destruction." 

We  add  to  the  names  of  those  officers  given  by  Mr.  Haven,  who 
were  greatly  interested  in  the  study  and  investigation  of  the  earth- 
works, fortifications,  mounds  and  other  evidences  of  a  former  race 
once  inhabiting  this  country,  those  of  General  Josiah  Harmar  and 
Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Frothingham.  Gen.  Harmar  frequently  sent  out 
officers  from  Fort  Harmar,  well  protected  by  detachments,  to  make 
investigations  of  the  kind.  Lieutenant  Frothingham  had  gathered 
together  a  mass  of  material,  at  the  request  of  learned  gentlemen  in 
the  East,  but  his  career  was  early  closed,  and  his  papers  lost.  He 
fell  in  Wyllys'  battle,  22d  October,  1790,  during  General  Harmar's 
campaign  against  the  Miami  Indians. 

General  Harmar,  in  a  letter  dated  Fort  Pitt,  March  17,  1787,  to 
General  Thomas  Mifflin,  of  Philadelphia,  says  :  "  Be  pleased  to 
view  the  inclosed  plan  of  the  remains  of  some  ancient  works  on  the 
Muskingum,  taken  by  a  Captain  of  mine  [Heart],  with  his  explana- 
tions. "  Various  are  the  conjectures  concerning  these  fortifications. 
From  their  regularity  I  conceive  them  to  be  the  works  of  some 
civilized  people.  Who  they  were  I  know  not.  Certain  it  is,  the 
present  race  of  savages  are  strangers  to  any  thing  of  the  kind." 
In  a  letter  to  General  Knox,  Secretary  of  War,  dated  Fort  Pitt, 
April  26,  1788,  General  Harmar  writes  :  "  Be  pleased  to  receive  a 
profile  of  the  north  view  of  Captain  Heart's  works  [Port  Franklin]. 
I  have  directed  Captain  Heart  to  make  out  a  map  of  the  country 
from  Venango  to  Lake  Erie,  which  I  shall  shortly  have  the  honor 
of  transmitting  to  you."     On  the  28th  of  July,  1788,  General  Har- 


xiv  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

mar  acknowledged  the  receipt  from  Captain  Heart,  of  a  view  of  the 
works  on  French  creek  and  a  map  inscribed  to  President  Franklin. 
Major  Heart  also  drew  a  plan  of  the  old  French  works  at  Ve- 
nango, one  of  Fort  Pitt,  one  of  Fort  Harrnar  and  Campus  Martius, 
and  one  of  Fort  Washington.  He  also  furnished  a  map  of  the 
Muskingum  Valley  to  the  Ohio  Company,  and  several  rough  drafts 
of   the  country  watered  by  the  Cuyahoga  river. 

The  widow  of  Major  Heart  married  the  Rev.  Cyprian  Strong,  of 
Chatham,  Conn.,  August  3,  1797.  Major  Heart  left  one  child  only, 
named  Alces  Everlin,  who  was  born  October  10,  1782.  He  was 
married  to  Charlotte  Overton,  but  had  no  children.  "  At  pro- 
bate court,  Farmington,  Conn.,  July  5,  1792,  administration  was 
granted  to  Abigail  Heart,  on  the  estate  of  Jonathan  Heart,  late  of 
Berlin  [formerly  Kensington]  deceased,  and  June  4,  1794,  she  was 
appointed  guardian  to  [Alces]  Everlin  Heart  [her  son],  a  minor  of 
the  said  town  of  Berlin,  and  in  the  probate  district  of  Farmington/' 

The  following  account  of  the  charge  made  by  Major  Heart  at  St. 
Clair's  defeat,  is  from  the  Connecticut  Gazette,  published  by  John 
M.  Niles  and  J.  T.  Pease,  in  1819,  at  Hartford,  Connecticut: 

"  When  all  were  in  confusion  and  dismay,  Major  Heart  was  or- 
dered to  charge  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet,  with  a  view  to  facili- 
tate a  retreat,  or  rather  a  flight,  to  the  shattered  remains  of  the 
army.  This  charge  was  made  with  gallantry  and  spirit,  under  cir- 
cumstances which  language  is  too  feeble  to  describe, — the  desola- 
tion of  the  place,  the  confusion  of  the  scene,  and  the  whoop  and 
yells  of  a  savage  foe  flushed  with  victory  and  thirsting  for  blood, 
the  general  consternation  which  prevailed,  and  the  groans  of  the 
dying  in  every  direction.  But  the  intrepid  Major  and  almost  every 
man  of  his  party  were  killed  in  the  desperate  enterprise." 

While  Major  Heart  was  marching  up  and  down  the  rivers  of  Ohio 
and  perambulating  the  country  as  a  soldier,  he  had  a  good  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  the  soil,  climate  and  value  of  the  lands  with 
reference  to  the  claims  of  Connecticut  for  the  Reserve;  and  the 
commissioners  who  had  the  location  of  those  claims  in  charge,  wisely 
availed  themselves  of  his  knowledge.     He  wrote  some  thirty  letters 


OF  JONATHAN  HEART.  XV 

to  his  friend,  William  Judd,  of  Farmington,  Connecticut,  on  the 
subject,  and  these  letters  are  still  in  good  condition,  preserved  by 
the  posterity  of  Major  Judd.  Major  Heart  was  the  soul  of  honor. 
He  was  beloved  by  his  men  and  no  officer  stood  higher  on  the  rolls 
of  the  military  establishment.  He  left  behind  him  many  valuable 
letters  and  manuscripts,  all  of  which  indicate  an  amiable  disposi- 
tion, strict  integrity,  and  high  intelligence. 


Note. — For  the  larger  part  of  the  foregoing  sketch,  I  am  indebted  to  an 
historical  contribution  prepared  by  the  lamented  Alfred  T.  Goodman  while 
Secretary  of  the  Western  Reserve  Historical  Society,  for  one  of  the  local 
papers  of  Ohio.  I  have  also  drawn  from  Andrews'  Genealogical  History  of 
Deacon  Stephen  Hart ;  from  Barber's  Connecticut  Historical  Collections  ;  from  a 
Gazetteer  of  the  States  of  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  (Hartford  :  1819) ;  from 
Tract  No.  32,  of  the  Western  Reserve  and  Northern  Ohio  Historical  Society ; 
and  from  the  American  Historical  Record,  Vol.  iii. ,  1874. — Ed. 


*mV%  l0tt*uaL 


JOURNAL1  OF  CAPT.  JONATHAN  HEART,  U.  S.  A.,  ON 
HIS  MARCH  WITH  HIS  COMPANY  FROM  CONNECT- 
ICUT TO  FORT  PITT  (PITTSBURGH),  FROM  SEPT.  7, 
TO  OCT.  12,  1785,  INCLUSIVE.2 


1  The  first  five  leaves  of  the  Journal  are  missing. 

8  That  the  reader  may  get,  at  once,  a  general  idea  of  Capt.  Heart's 
route,  the  principal  places  through  which  he  marched  his  company 
are  subjoined,  with  the  counties  and  states  in  which  they  are  now 
located  : 

Orange  county, 


New  Windsor, 

Chester, 

Warwick, 

Hope, 

Oxford, 

Easton, 

Bethlehem, 

Allentown, 

Reading, 

Lebanon, 

Harrisburg, 

Carlisle, 

Fort  Loudon, 

Bedford, 

Fort  Ligonier, 


Warren 
(i 

Northampton 
u 

Lehigh 

Berks 

Lebanon 

Dauphin 

Cumberland 

Franklin 

Bedford 

Westmoreland 


To  Fort  Pitt  (Pittsburgh),  Allegheny 


N.  Y. 

M 

({ 

N.   J. 

u 

Pa. 


2  HEART'S  JOURNAL. 

After  Orders.  Edmunstone's  Tavern  (3  Miles  from 
N.  Windsor1), 

September  7,  1785. 

The  Company  will  march  to-morrow  morning  at  3  o'clock, 
in  same  order  as  this  day.  Route :  Bethlehem2,  3  miles ; 
Blooming  Green3,  6 ;  Wanmer's,  3.     Total — 12  miles. 

Quarters,  Wanmer's, 

September  8,  1785. 
Company  marches  at  sunrise.     Route  :   to  Chester4,   3 


1  New  Windsor.  This  village  is  situated  in  the  town  of  the  same 
name,  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  on  the  Hudson  river  and  on  the 
Newburgh  and  New  York  railway,  about  one  mile  south  of  the 
south  boundary  line  of  Newburgh.  It  is  probable  that  Capt.  Heart 
and  his  company  were  ferried  across  the  Hudson  from  the  east 
side,  at  this  point. 

8  Bethlehem  is  a  neighborhood  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town 
of  Cornwall,  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  on  the  public  road  leading 
from  New  Windsor  to  Goshen,  about  five  miles  southwest  of  the 
former  place. 

3  Blooming  Grove,  called  by  Capt.  Heart  Blooming  Green,  is  a 
hamlet  nearly  central,  east  and  west,  in  the  town  of  the  same  name, 
in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.  It  is  located  in  the  valley  of  the  southern 
branch  of  the  Otterkill,  a  branch  usually  known  as  the  Schun- 
emunk. 

*  Chester,  of  1785,  is  the  village  that  grew  up  on  the  Yelverton 
estate,  at  the  corners,  in  the  town  of  the  same  name,  in  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  about  a  mile  from  the  Erie  depot. 


HEARTS  JOURNAL. 


miles  ;  Warwick1,  9  ;  Doctor  Hinksman's8,  6.     Total — 18 
miles. 


Quarters,  Hinksman's  Tavern  (Hadestown), 

September  9,  1785. 

James  French,  for  stealing  a  whip,  [was]  tried  at  the 
Drum  Head,  found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  run  the 
gantlet.  The  Captain  approves  the  sentence  and  orders 
it  put  in  execution  this  evening  at  retreat  beating.  The 
Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise.  Route  : 
to  Walsingham,  8  miles ;  Carey's  Tavern,  3.  Total — 11 
miles. 


Quarters,  Carey's  Tavern, 

Saturday ,  September  10,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  one  hour 


1  Warwick  village — the  place  noted  by  Capt.  Heart — is  located 
nearly  in  the  center  of  the  town  of  the  same  name,  about  eleven 
miles  south  of  Goshen,  the  county-seat  of  Orange  county,  N.  Y. 
Warwick  creek  flows  along  its  eastern  suburb.  The  village  was 
not  incorporated  until  April  15,  1867.  A  reference  to  the  map 
of  Orange  county  will  show  that  the  route  of  Capt.  Heart  from 
New  Windsor  until  he  crossed  the  line  into  New  Jersey,  was  nearly 
southwest. 

*  This  place  must  have  been  located  in  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  as 
the  distance  from  Warwick  (six  miles)  would  take  the  traveler 
across  the  state  line.  It  will  be  noticed  that  Capt.  Heart  imme- 
diately after  speaks  of  the  place  as  "  Hinksman's  Tavern  (Hades- 
town)." 


HEARTS  JOURNAL. 


before    sunrise.      Route :     Sussex1,     10   miles ; 
Town2,  10.     Total— 20  miles. 


Quarters, Town, 

September  11,  1785. 
Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  the  same  time  as 
this   day.     Route :     Moravian    Town    [alias    Hope3),    6 


1  Sussex,  now  Newton,  county-seat  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  was, 
at  that  date,  usually  called  Sussex  Court-House.  However,  upon 
Lewis  Evans'  Map  of  the  Middle  British  Colonies,  of  1755,  and 
upon  the  map  of  New  Jersey,  in  the  American  Atlas,  by  Thomas 
Jeffreys,  of  1778,  it  is  noted  simply  as  "Sussex,"  as  in  this  Journal 
by  Capt.  Heart.  The  place  had,  at  this  period,  besides  the  court- 
house, one  tavern  and  a  few  "  indifferent  houses." 

8  The  name  of  the  "  Town  "  thus  left  a  blank  in  the  Journal  of 
Capt.  Heart,  was  "Log  Town  "  or  "Log  Jail,"  now  Johnsonburg, 
in  the  township  of  Frelinghuysen,  Warren  county,  N.  J.  This 
"  Town  "  was  the  county-seat  of  Sussex  county  (including  the  pre- 
sent Warren)  from  Nov.,  1 753  to  February,  1 756,  when  it  was  removed 
to  "  Sussex" — now  Newton.  Courts  were  held  in  a  private  house 
near  the  "  log  jail."  Manasseh  Cutler,  in  July,  1788,  wrote  : 
"  From  this  [Sussex  Court  House],  the  road  is  tolerably  good  to  Log 
Jail,  ten  miles  ;  very  few  houses  and  these  mostly  humble  huts. 
At  Log  Jail,  or  Log  Town,  is  a  miserable  tavern  kept  by  Jones,  a 
Jew.  We  could  get  nothing  but  oats  and  water,  neither  hay  nor 
grass.     Another  tavern  here  but  no  better." 

3  Moravians  came  to  what  is  now  Hope  village,  Hope  township, 
Warren  county,  N.  J.,  in  1769,  from  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  purchasing  a 
considerable  tract  of  land  ;  hence  the  name  "  Moravian  Town,"  in 
the  Journal  of  Capt.  Heart.  These  people  left  in  1805  or  1806  ; 
*but  the  name  "  Hope,"  given  to  the  place  by  them,  is  still  retained. 
u  Six   miles  from   Log  Town  is  Hope,  commonly  called  Moravian 


HEART'S  JOURNAL.  5 

miles ;  Harwick,  5  miles ;  Oxford1,  7.     Total— 18  miles. 

Quarters,  Oxford, 

Monday,  September  12,  1785. 
The  Company   marches   to-morrow  morning   same    as 
this    day.       Route:    East    Town2,    10    miles;     Bethle- 


Town.  This  is  a  small,  new,  but  very  pretty  village.  Houses 
mostly  stone,  built  in  Dutch  style.  The  Church,  or  Chapel,  is  a  very 
handsome  building  on  the  top  of  the  hill.  We  put  up  at  Gam- 
boult's.     While   dinner  was  preparing,  we  went   to   the   Church.'* 

— Manasseh  Cutler,  1788. 

1  Oxford,  known  sometime  as  "  Old  Oxford,'.'  but  more  familiarly 
known  in  early  days  as  "  Hog  Holler,"  has  lately  assumed  the 
name  of  "Hazen  Post-Office."  It  is  in  Oxford  township,  Warren 
county,  N.  J.  Says  Cutler,  in  his  Journal,  in  1788  :  "From  this 
["  Hope  "],  we  came  on  twelve  miles  to  White's,  in  Oxford  town- 
ship ;  road  not  bad,  but  some  parts  of  it  rocky  ;  put  up  for  the 
night  ;  White  is  very  obliging  ;  good  tavern  for  this  country  ; 
beds  pretty  good." 

s  Easton,  Pa.  It  is  the  seat  of  justice  of  Northampton  county, 
and  is  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Delaware  and  Lehigh.  It 
was  first  laid  out  in  1752.  Cutler,  on  the  31st  of  July,  1788,  made 
this  entry  in  his  Journal  :  "  Set  out  this  morning  just  after  sunrise 
[from  Oxford — or,  as  he  calls  it,  '  White's,  in  Oxford  township —  '], 
twelve  miles  to  East  Town  ;  road  not  good.  Crossed  the  Delaware 
in  a  good  ferry-boat  ;  [the  river]  not  wide.  The  Lehigh  river  enters 
the  Delaware  just  below  where  we  landed  on  the  Pennsylvania  side, 
called  'The  Forks.'  As  soon  as  we  were  over  the  river,  we  entered 
East  Town,  which  is  a  very  pretty  village  ;  houses  all  stone  in  the 
Dutch  style  ;  a  handsome  Court  House  and  Dutch  Churches  ;  there 
are  two  ministers  ;  every  third  Sunday  preaching  in  English.  We 
breakfasted   at  Hembt's   tavern  beyond  the  Court  House.     Could 


6  HEARTS  JOURNAL. 

hem1,  12  miles.     Total — 22  miles. 

Quarters,  Bethlehem, 

Tuesday,  September  13,  1785. 
The  Company  remains  at  this  point  [to]  wash  and  clean 
themselves. 


get  no  hay  nor  grass,  but  were  furnished  with  a  good  breakfast, 
bacon  and  eggs,  beef  and  sausages  in  slices  raw,  green  tea,  etc." 

Capt.  Heart  had  now  marched  from  the  Hudson  to  the  Delaware, 
a  distance,  according  to  his  computation,  of  89  miles.  In  traveling 
from  New  Windsor  to  Warwick,  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  by  way 
of  Edmunstone's  Tavern,  Bethlehem,  Blooming  Grove,  Wanmer's 
and  Chester,  it  was  a  considerable  saving  of  distance  from  the  cir- 
cuitous route  by  way  of  Goshen.  By  the  latter  road,  it  is  put  down 
on  the  maps  of  a  few  years  later  as  93  miles  from  New  Windsor, 
N.  Y.,  to  Phillipsburg,  opposite  "  East  Town,"  thus  :  to  Goshen, 
20  miles  ;  Warwick,  10  ;  Hamburg,  11  ;  Newton,  13  ;  Johnson- 
burg,  10  ;  Hope,  7  ;  Belvidere,  10  ;  Phillipsburg,  12  miles. — Total, 
93  miles. 

Easton  was  named  by  Thomas  Penn,  who,  in  a  letter  dated  Sep- 
tember 8,  1751,  written  in  England  to  Governor  Hamilton,  said  : 
"Sometime  since,  I  wrote  Dr.  Graeme  and  Mr.  Peters  to  lay 
out  some  ground  in  the  forks  of  Delaware  for  a  town,  which  I 
suppose  they  have  done,  or  begun  to  do.  I  desire  it  may*be  called 
Easton,  from  my  Lord  Pomfret's  house."  As  early  as  1739,  one 
David  Martin,  of  Trenton,  had  been  granted  a  patent  for  ferrying 
over  the  Delaware  at  this  point. 

Bethlehem  {Beit-el-Lehm,  the  "  house  of  bread ")  is  a  post- 
borough  and  summer  resort  of  Northampton  county,  Pa.,  situated 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  Lehigh  river,  in  Bethlehem  township,  five 
miles  east  of  Allentown,  fifty-five  miles  north  of  Philadelphia,  and 
twelve  miles  southwest  of  Easton.  It  is  the  oldest  and  principal 
town  of  the  Moravians  in  the  United  States.  It  wasjbegun  to  be 
built  in  March,  1741. 


HEART'S  JOURNAL. 


Quarters,  Bethlehem, 

Wednesday,  September  14,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  8  o'clock. 
Route  :  Allenstown1,  6  miles ;  Great  Spring,  8  ;  County 
Line3,  4.     Total  — 18  miles. 


Quarters,  County  Line, 

September  15,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  one  hour 
before  sunrise.  Route  :  to  Kirbytown,  6  miles ;  Maiden 
Creek3  on  the  Schuylkill,  12.     Total— 18  miles. 


Quarters,  Maiden  Creek, 

September  16,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning.  Rainy  day 
but  we  march.     [Route  :  Reading,  7  miles]. 


irrhis  place  is  noted  on  some  early  maps  as  "Allenstown,"  as 
given  above.  It  was  laid  out  by  James  Allen  in  1762,  and  is  now 
the  beautiful  city  of  Allentown,  Lehigh  county,  Pa.  It  is  mostly 
situated  on  a  wide  plateau,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Lehigh  river. 

8  By  "  County  Line  "  is  meant  not  the  west  line  of  what  is  now 
Lehigh  county,  but  what  was  then  Northampton  county. 

s  In  what  is  now  Ontelaunee  township,  Berks  county,  Pa.,  on  the 
east  side  of  Schuylkill  river.  Thus  far,  the  general  course  of  the 
route  through  Pennsylvania  had  been  southwest ;  but  here  the 
road  turned  nearly  south  to  Reading.  The  stream  is  still  known  as 
Maiden  creek. 


8  hearts  journal. 

Quarters,  Reading1, 

Saturday,  September  17,  1785. 
The  Company  remains  at  this  place  till  further  orders 
(delayed  for  wagons). 


Quarters,  Reading, 

Sunday,  September  18,  1785. 
The  Company   will   hold  themselves  in    readiness  to 
march  to-morrow  morning.     (Still  delayed  for  wagons). 


Quarters,  Reading, 

Monday,  September  19,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Route :  Middletown2,  14  miles. 


1  Now  the  city  of  the  same  name,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Berks 
county,  Pa.  The  town  was  first  laid  out  in  1748,  by  Richard  and 
Thomas  Penn.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1783;  as  a 
city,  in  1847.  It  is  situated  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Schuylkill 
river,  fifty-two  miles  (fifty-four  by  railroad)  east  of  Harrisburg, 
and  fifty -two  miles  (fifty-eight  by  railroad)  northwest  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

8  This  place  was  generally  so  called  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of 
Capt.  Heart  because  of  its  being  midway  between  Reading  and 
Lebanon,  but  its  real  name  was  Wommelsdorf,  from  John  Worn- 
melsdorf,  who  laid  out  the  town  ;  and  it  is  now  thus  known. 
It  is  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  eighty-eight  miles  east  of  Harrisburg  : 
" Lodged  at  night,"  says  Col.  John  May,  in  his  Journal  of  1788, 
"  in  a  little  village  called  Wolfendorf  [Wommelsdorf] — the  Eng- 
lish name,  Middle-town." 


hearts  journal.  9 

Quarters,  Middletown, 

September  20,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Route  :  Meyerstown1,  7  miles ;  Lebanon2  7.  Total — 14 
miles.     (Rained  and  did  not  march  till  12  o'clock.) 

Quarters,  Lebanon, 

Wednesday,  September  21,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  before  sun- 
rise.    Route  :  to  Homestown3,  18  miles. 

Quarters,  Homestown, 

Thursday,  September  22,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  at  sunrise  to-morrow  morning. 


1  Myerstown,  on  the'  Lebanon  Valley  railroad,  seven  miles  from 
the  county-seat,  was  laid  out  by  Isaac  Myers,  about  1768.  It  is 
located  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Tulpehocken  and  is  the  present 
seat  of  Palatinate  college.     It  is  in  Lebanon  county,  Pa. 

2  The  borough  of  "  Lebanon  town,  in  Lancaster  county,  Lebanon 
township,"  laid  out  about  the  year  1750,  is  now  the  city  of 
Lebanon,  county-seat  of  Lebanon  county,  Pa.  The  village  was 
for  a  long  time  known  as  Steitztown,  from  George  Steitz  who  was 
its  founder. 

3  Hummelstown.  It  was  laid  out  by  Frederick  Hummel, 
October  26,  1762.  It  is  located  nine  miles  east  of  Harrisburg,  in 
Derry  township,  Dauphin  county,  Pa.,  on  the  Reading  turnpike, 
and  on  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  railroad.  It  was  for  many 
years  called  Frederickstown.  The  Swatara  creek,  along  which 
runs  the  Union  canal,  is  close  by  the  town. 

2 


1 0  HEARTS  JO  UBNAL. 

Koute  :  Harris's  Ferry1,  9  miles  ;  Major  Reed's2, 14  miles. 
Total — 23  miles  (and  one  mile  ferry.) 


1  Near  what  is  now  Harrisburg,  the  capital  of  Pennsylvania  and 
seat  of  justice  of  Dauphin  county,  situated  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Susquehanna  river.  John  Harris,  Jr.,  by  a  grant  obtained 
February  19,  1753,  was  allowed  the  privilege  of  running  a  ferry 
across  the  Susquehanna  at  this  point  ;  hence  the  name — "  Harris's 
Ferry."  A  town  was  laid  out  here  in  the  spring  of  1785  and 
named  Harrisburg.  It  was  made  a  borough  April  13,  1791  ;  and 
the  capital  of  the  State,  in  1810.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in 
1860. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1788,  Colonel  John  May,  in  his  Journal, 
says  :  "Slept  at  Harristown  [Harrisburg]  on  the  east  bank  [of  the 
Susquehanna].  This  place  [was]  laid  out  for  a  town  within  these 
three  years,  and  has  now  a  number  of  good  brick  buildings  and  a 
good  tavern  for  travelers.  There  are,  in  fact,  several  taverns  in  the 
place.  It  is  situated  on  a  very  agreeable  spot,  with  two  handsome 
islands  in  front.  The  river  here  [is]  about  a  mile  wide.  This 
place  has  a  good  market- house  and  the  foundation  for  another 
laid."     And  thus  Dr.  Cutler,  of  the  same  year  : 

"  This  is  a  beautiful  town ;  it  contains  one  hundred  houses,  all 
built  in  less  than  three  years  ;  many  of  them  brick,  some  of  them 
three  story,  built  in  the  Philadelphia  style  ;  all  appear  very  neat. 
A  great  number  of  taverns  with  handsome  signs.  Houses  all  two 
story,  large  windows.  About  one-half  the  people  are  English  ; 
people  were  going  to  meeting  ;  they  meet  in  private  houses  ;  have 
no  churches  yet.     People  appear  very  well  dressed,  some  gay." 

2  Now  Middlesex,  a  post  village  on  the  turnpike  from  Harrisburg 
to  Carlisle,  three  miles  from  the  last  mentioned  town.  It  is  near 
the  confluence  of  Le  Tort's  creek  with  the  Conedogwinit.  (See,. 
also,  the  note  following.) 


#     heart's  journal.  \\ 

Quarters,  Major  Reed's — Chambersburg1, 

Friday,  September  23,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  to  Carlisle2,  3  miles. 
Very  rainy ;  did  not  march  till  12  o'clock. 

Carlisle, 

Saturday,  September  24,  1785. 

Company  march  to-morrow  morning  [at]    10   o'clock. 


1  On  old  maps,  we  note,  three  miles  from  Carlisle,  "  Chamber's 
Mill," — doubtless  the  same  as  "  Chambersburg  "  in  Heart's  Journal,, 
now  Middlesex.     (See  preceding  note.) 

*  Carlisle,  the  county-seat  of  Cumberland  county,  Pa.,  was  laid 
out  in  1751.  A  survey  of  the  town  and  lands  adjacent  was  made 
by  John  Armstrong  in  1762.  In  1753,  there  were  only  five  dwell- 
ings here.  Thei'e  was  a  block-house,  or  stockade,  called  "  Fort 
Lowther,"  erected  during  the  same  year.  The  United  States 
barracks,  located  about  one-half  mile  from  the  court  house,  were 
built  in  1777,  by  Hessians  captured  at  Trenton.  These  barracks 
were,  for  many  years,  a  school  for  cavalry.  They  were  burned  in 
June,  1863.  Dickinson  college,  located  at  Carlisle,  was  chartered 
in  1783,  two  years  before  Capt.  Heart  passed  through  the  place 
with  his  company. 

Arthur  Lee,  in  his  Journal,  Nov.  24,  1784,  less  than  a  year 
previous  to  Capt.  Heart's  marching  through  the  town,  says : 
"  Carlisle  is  in  the  county  of  Cumberland  [Pa.],  and  has  been 
settled  about  thirty-two  years.  It  has  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  good  stone  houses.  There  is  here  a  very  complete  set  of 
buildings  for  arsenals,  raised  at  Continental  expense  but  not  used 
and  therefore  going  to  ruin.  Gen.  Armstrong,  Gen.  Irwin  [Irvine]  > 
and  Gen.  [Richard]  Butler,  reside  here,  and  several  other  gentle- 
men, forming  a  society  ;  but  they  have  neither  coffee-house,  post> 
nor  newspapers." 


12  HEART'S  JOURNAL. 

Koute  :  Mount  Rock1,  7  miles. 

Mount  Rock, 

Sunday,  September  25,  1785. 
Company  marches  one  hour  before  sunrise.      Route  : 
Shippensburg2, 14  miles;  Esquire  Finley's,  7  miles.  Total — 
21  miles. 

Quarters,  Esquire  Finley's, 

Monday,  September  26  th,  1785. 
The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 


1  Mount  Rock,  a  post-hamlet  of  Cumberland  county,  Pa.,  is  two 
miles  from  Kerrsville  station  on  the  Cumberland  Valley  railroad, 
and  seven  miles  west-southwest  of  Carlisle.  It  has  now  a  church 
and  a  few  houses. 

2  Shippensburg,  on  the  western  border  of  Cumberland  county,  as 
now  bounded,  is  the  oldest  town  west  of  the  Susquehanna,  in 
Pennsylvania,  except  York.  Before  Carlisle  became  the  seat  of 
justice,  Shippensburg  was  the  county-seat.  Fort  Morris  was 
erected  here  in  1755  and  Fort  Franklin  the  next  year.  These 
were  mere  stockades.  The  town  was  incorporated  into  a  borough 
in  1817.  It  is  twenty-one  miles  (as  indicated  by  Capt.  Heart)  from 
Carlisle,  in  a  southwest  direction,  on  the  Cumberland  Valley 
railroad. 

Arthur  Lee,  Nov.  24,  1784,  in  his  Journal,  before  cited,  speaks  of 
Shippensburg  as  "a  handsome  little  town  about  four  miles  from  the 
Conedogwinit  on  the  north,  and  the  Yellow  Breeches  creek,  which 
issues  from  a  small  but  very  deep  lake,  on  the  south,  and  runs  into 
the  Susquehanna." 


HEARTS  JOURNAL.  13 

Route :  Pibles,  on  the  Head  of  South  Branch  of  Conoeo- 
jig1,  6  miles ;  Fort  Loudon2,  9  ;  Harris's  on  West  Branch 
Conocojig3,  2i.     Total — 171  miles. 

The  improper  use  of  spirituous  liquors  being  attended 
with  summary  fatal  consequences,  it  is  ordered  in  future 
that  any  soldier  found  drunk  shall  be  debarred  from  the 
privilege  of  drawing  his  allowance  of  whiskey  for  one 
week. 


Quarters,  Harris's4, 

Tuesday,  September  27,  1785. 
The   Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 


1  Capt.  Heart  wrote  the  word  as  he  heard  it  pronounced.  It 
should  have  been  written  Conococheague. 

*  In  explanation  of  the  route  as  given  by  Capt.  Heart  from  Ship- 
pensburg  to  Fort  Loudon, — twenty-two  miles — it  may  be  said  that 
the  road  traveled  by  him  after  leaving  the  former  place,  ran  in  a 
southwest  direction  a  short  distance,  when  it  branched  : — one  road 
leading  more  to  the  south  to  Chambersburg;  the  other  running  more 
westerly,  some  distance  and  then  turning  nearly  north  to  Fort 
Loudon.  It  was  on  the  last  mentioned  road  that  Capt.  Heart 
marched.  Fort  Loudon  was  about  a  mile  southeast  from  what  is 
now  the  village  of  Loudon,  in  Peters  township,  Franklin  county, 
Pa.  It  was  an  important  post  during  the  French  and  Indian  war  and 
Pontiac's  war  which  followed.  The  fort  appears  to  have  been  com- 
menced under  the  direction  of  Col.  John  Armstrong,  in  the  autumn 
of  1 756.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  John  Campbell,  Earl  of  Loudon, 
appointed  March  20,  1756,  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  English 
forces  in  North  America. 

3  The  road  from  Fort  Loudon  took  a  northerly  course  up  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Conococheague. 

*  On  West  Branch  "  Conocojig." 


14  HEART '8  JO  URNAL. 

Route :  up   Path   Valley1,   5    miles ;    Burnt   Cabins2,    7 
miles.     Total — 12  miles. 


Quarters,  Burnt  Cabins, 

The  Company   marches  1 
halts  for  the  day  to  wash  and  clean  themselves, — 4  miles. 


September  28,  1785. 
The  Company   marches  to    Fort   Littleton    and    there 


Quarters,  Fort  Littleton3, 

Thursday,  September  29,  1785. 
Sergeant  Francis  Jackson,  for  striking  with  his  sword 


1  Path  Valley,  in  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  is  bounded  on  the  north- 
west by  the  Tuscarora  mountains.  It  is  on  the  western  borders  of 
the  county,  mostly  in  what  are  now  Metal  and  Fannet  townships. 

2  Burnt  Cabins  is  a  post  hamlet  of  Fulton  county,  Pa.,  in  what  is 
now  Dublin  township.  In  reaching  this  point  from  Path  Valley, 
Capt.  Heart  crossed,  with  his  company,  the  Tuscarora  mountains. 

3  A  fort  was  built  at  what  is  now  the  village  of  Fort  Littleton,  in 
Dublin  township,  Fulton  county,  Pa.,  about  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1756,  and  called  "  Fort  Lyttletou  ; "  but  it  was  generally 
spelled  with  an  i  instead  of  y.  It  was  a  post  of  importance  during 
the  French  and  Indian  war  and  Pontiac's  war.  (A  plan  of  the 
fort  is  given  in  Egle's  History  of  Pennsylvania,  p.  765.)  Capt. 
Heart's  route  from  Fort  Loudon  to  Burnt  Cabins  was  nearly  north  ; 
from  the  latter  point  to  Fort  Littleton,  it  was  southwest. 

"From  thence  [that  is,  from  Shippensburg]  the  road  led  us  the  next 
day  [Nov.  25,  1784]  across  the  North  Mountain  into  what  is  called 
the  Horse  Valley,  made  by  that  and  the  next  mountain,  which  we 
crossed  into  the   Path  Valley,   through   which  runs  the  Conoco- 


EEABT'S  JO  VRNAL.  \  5 

and  wounding  Mr.  Beating  Wagoner,  [was]  tried  at  the 
Drum  Head  and  sentenced  to  be  reduced  to  a  private  senti- 
nel and  pay  costs  and  damage  by  stopages  from  his  pay. 
The  sentence  is  approved.  The  Company  marches 
to-morrow  morning  at  9  o'clock.  Route  :  the  bottom  of  Side- 
ling Hill1,  91  miles ;  top  of  Sideling  Hill,  3.  Total— 121 
miles. 


Quarters,  Top  Sideling  Hill, 

Friday,  September  30,  1785. 

Jose  Gilbert,  for  getting  drunk,  has  his  whiskey  stopped 
one  week. 

The   Company   marches   to-morrow   morning   at    sun- 
rise.    Route :    Bottom    of    Ray's    Hill2,  4    miles;    Jun- 


cheague,  which  empties  into  the  Potomac.  We  crossed  next  the 
Tuscarora  mountain,  on  the  top  of  which  the  line  runs  which 
divides  the  counties  of  Cumberland  and  Bedford,  which  latter 
[county]  we  entered  on  descending  the  mountain,  and  lodged  at 
Fort  Lyttleton.  These  mountains  are  so  steep  that  it  is  necessary 
to  walk  up  and  down  them.  Fort  Lyttleton  was  built  by  the 
British  in  a  former  war,  as  a  protection  to  the  frontier  settlements  ; 
but  the  Indians  murdered  both  soldiers  and  inhabitants." 

— Journal  of  Arthur  Lee. 

Col.  John  May,  in  his  Journal,  August  13,  1788,  says  :  ''Break- 
fasted at  Fort  Littleton,  at  Captain  Burd's,  in  a  really  elegant 
manner,  on  fine  coffee,  loaf-sugar,  venison,  shad,  and  smoked  shad." 

1  Sideling  Hill  ranges  along  the  western  part  of  what  is  now 
Fulton  county  in  a  northeasterly  and  southwesterly  direction. 

8  Ray's  Hill,  a  mountainous  ridge,  bounds  Fulton  county,  Pa., 
on  the  west.     The  place  that  Capt.  Heart  mentions  as  the  "  Bottom 


1 6  HEART'S  JO  URNAL. 

iata1,  3  miles ;    Bloody  Run2,  7  miles.     Total — 14  miles. 

Quarters,  Bloody  Run, 

Saturday,  October  1,  1785. 

Company    marches     to-morrow    morning    at    sunrise. 
Route  :    Bedford3,    8   miles ;    Bennett's,  at  the   Forks   of 


of  Ray's  Hill,"  was  in  what  is  now  Brush  Creek  township,  that 
county.  Crossing  this  "  Hill "  he  was  in  what  was  then,  and  is 
now,  Bedford  county,  Pa. 

1  Now  known  as  the  Raystown  Branch  of  the  Juniata  river.  It 
rises  in  the  main  range  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  near  the  east 
border  of  Somerset  county,  Pa.,  runs  through  the  middle  of 
Bedford  county,  and  enters  the  Juniata  not  far  below  Hunt- 
ingdon. Where  the  stream  was  crossed  by  Capt.  Heart  and  his 
company  was  in  what  is  now  East  Providence  township,  Bedford 
county. 

3  This  "  Run "  is  still  so  called.  At  Everett,  Bedford  county, 
Pa.,  it  enters  the  Raystown  Branch  of  the  Juniata.  The  Run  was 
thus  named  because  of  early  settlers  having  been  killed  by  the 
Indians.  A  hamlet  called  "  Bloody  Run,"  located  on  the  stream, 
grew  into  a  village,  and  afterward  was  incorporated  as  a  borough. 
A  few  years  ago  the  name  was  changed  to  one  more  euphonious — 
Everett.  It  is  eight  miles  east  of  Bedford,  Pa.  In  Thomas 
Jeffreys'  "American  Atlas"  of  1778,  the  place  is  noted  as 
"  Tusseys." 

"27th  [of  Nov.,  1784].  We  crossed  the  mountain  called  Side- 
ling Hill,  and  the  Juniata  [the  Raystown  Branch]  to  Bedford. 
Nine  miles  before  coming  to  this  place  [Bedford],  we  crossed 
Bloody  Run,  so  called  from  the  murder  of  several  white  people 
there  by  the  Indians." — Arthur  Zee's  Journal. 

3  Bedford,  county-seat  of  Bedford  county,  was,  at  an  early  day, 
called  Raystown.     It  is  so  designated  on  Lewis  Evans'  "  Map  of 


HEARTS  JO  URNAL.  \ 7 

Glade    and    Pennsylvania    Road1,    4    miles.       Total — 12 
miles. 

Quarters,  Bennett's, 

Sunday,   October  2,  1785. 
Company    marches    to-morrow    morning    at    sunrise. 
Route  :  Foot  of  Alleghany  Mountains.2     (Did  not  march 


the  Middle  British  Provinces,"  of  1755.  A  fort  was  erected  here 
during  the  French  and  Indian  war.  The  town  of  Bedford  was  laid 
out  in  June,  1766,  and  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1795.  It  is- 
situated  on  the  Raystown  Branch  of  the  Juniata — two  hundred 
miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  one  hundred  from  Pittsburgh. 
Bedford  Springs,  a  celebrated  watering  place,  is  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  south  of  Bedford. 

Lee,  in  his  Journal,  Nov.  24,  1784,  says  :  "  Bedford  is  the  capital 
of  the  county,  and  is  a  thriving  little  town  on  the  Juniata  [Rays- 
town  Branch],  with  good  meadow  grounds  around  it.  There  are 
yet  traces  of  the  redoubts  thrown  up  here  by  the  British  after 
Braddock's  defeat,  Gen.  Forbes,  who  commanded  next,  having  made 
this  the  rendezvous  of  the  army  in  1758." 

1  In  May,  1755,  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  agreed  to  send  out 
three  hundred  men  in  order  to  cut  a  wagon  road  from  Fort  Loudon 
to  join  Braddock's  road,  near  the  Turkey-foot,  or  three  forks  of  the 
Youghiogheny.  This  was  the  "  Glade  road."  In  September,  1758, 
Gen.  John  Forbes,  on  his  way  to  attack  Fort  Duquesne,  began,  at 
a  point  on  the  "  Glade  road,"  four  miles  from  Bedford,  a  road 
more  to  the  northward,  which  would  reach  the  Ohio  at  a  less  dis- 
tance than  by  the  other  route.  This  was  the  "Pennsylvania  road " 
spoken  of  by  Capt.  Heart,  and  was  the  one  traveled  by  him  thence 
to  Pittsburgh. 

2  These  mountains  have  a  northeasterly  and  southwesterly  trend, 
nearly  parallel  with  the  ranges  of  hills  to  the  eastward. 

"  I  left  the    settled   parts  of   Pennsylvania  the  latter  part  of 
3 


18  HEART 8  JOURNAL. 

on  account  of  rains  till  1  o'clock.)     Halted  at  Anderson's, 
5  miles. 


Quarters,  Anderson's, 

Monday,  October  3,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Eoute :  Foot  of  Alleghany  Mountains  6  miles;  Top  of 
Mountains  6  miles.    Total — 12  miles.    James  Kingsley  and 


October  last  [1785 — only  a  few  days  after  Capt.  Heart  and  his 
company  had  passed  through]:  and  not  to  mention  the  large  lime- 
stone springs  frequently  to  be  found  in  the  county  of  Cumberland, 
sufficient  to  turn  mills  within  a  few  rods  of  their  issuing  from  the 
ground,  and  other  curiosities  I  never  saw  before  ;  about  the  25th 
of  that  month,  I  passed  the  Alleghany  mountains,  in  the  old 
Pennsylvania  road.  The  ascent  of  about  three  miles  is  gradual  and 
easy.  On  the  summit  is  a  large  extent  of  land  comparatively  plain. 
It  is  about  eight  miles  from  the  top  of  the  mount  on  the  east,  to  the 
beginning  of  the  descent  on  the  west  ;  whence  to  the  level  on  that 
side  is  about  two  miles  and  a  half.  This  extent  contains  almost  all 
soils  and  descriptions  of  land  ;  from  the  sandy  pitch  pine  barrens 
and  stony  heath,  where  there  is  no  apparent  moisture  ;  to  a  fine 
ploughland  and  luxuriant  pasture  and  mowing,  as  I  had  before 
seen. 

"  On  this  mount  are  several  mill  streams,  and  springs  of  excellent 
water.  It  is  observable,  that  the  ascent  of  all  those  hills  and 
mountains  from  the  east,  is  greater  than  the  descent  on  the  west  : 
and  from  the  extensive  grand  view  on  the  top  of  the  mount,  from 
which  the  country  on  the  west  and  on  the  east  is  seen  to  a  great 
distance,  it  is  clearly  discovered,  that  the  level  of  the  country  on 
the  west,  is  vastly  higher  than  the  level  on  the  east  of  the 
mountains." — Samuel  H.  Parsons,  in  "  Memoirs  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,"  Vol.  ii,  Part  I  (1793),  pp. 
119,  120. 


HEART  '£  JO  URNAL.  19 

Pat  Colbert,  for  selling  their  public  shoes,  tried,  plead 
guilty  and  sentenced  to  run  the  gantlet  and  to  be  put 
under  stoppage  for  payment  for  the  same.  Sentence  is 
approved;  but  from  the  former  good  character  of  Kingsley, 
and  as  it  is  the  first  crime  of  the  nature  committed  in  the 
Company,  the  Captain  is  induced  to  suspend  the  punish- 
ment on  their  future  [good  conduct.  He  desires]  to  remind 
the  men  that  the  disposing  of  public  clothing  or  even 
wasting  them  improperly  is  a  crime  subjecting  [them]  to 
the  severest  punishment  by  law  martial,  and  they  may 
depend  any  future  instances  of  like  conduct  will  not  find 
a  pardon.  Corporal  Wm.  Armstrong  is  promoted  to  a  Ser- 
geant ;  is  to  do  duty  and  [be]  respected  accordingly. 


Quarters, 

Tuesday,   October  4,  1785. 

Company  will  halt  on  the  ground  till  further  orders. 

Morning  Orders,  5th  October.  Company  marches  at  12 
o'clock.  Route  :  to  Miller's,  west  side  Edward's  Swamp1,  4 
miles. 


Quarters,  Edward's  Swamp, 

Wednesday,  October  5,  1785. 
Company    marches    to-morrow     morning    at    sunrise. 


1  This  "  Swamp,"  was  in  what  is  now  Somerset  county,  Pa.  It 
is  put  down  in  Jeffreys'  Atlas  of  1778,  as  "Edmund's  Swamp." 
The  road  passed  through  it  in  a  northwesterly  direction. 


20  HEART'S  JOURNAL. 

Route  :  Stony  Creek1,   5  miles ;  Foot  of  Laurel   Hill2,  7 


1  This  creek  rises  in  the  southeastern  portion  of  Somerset  county, 
runs  nearly  a  north  course  until  it  finally,  with  another  stream — the 
Quemahoning — forms  Paint  creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Conemaugh  ; 
so  that  they  were  now  upon  the  waters  which  flowed  into  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico. 

Arthur  Lee,  in  his  Journal  (extracts  from  which  have  already  been 
given),  in  speaking  of  his  journey  from  Bedford  to  Stony  Creek,  on 
the  28th  of  Nov.,  1784,  says  : 

"  Leaving  Bedford  we  again  crossed  the  [Raystown  Branch  of 
theJJuniata  and  traversed  the  Alleghany  mountain  to  Stony  Creek. 
On  the  road  we  saw  the  marks  of  a  most  tremendous  whirlwind 
which  happened  last  year  and  in  its  course  tore  up  by  the  roots  or 
twisted  off  every  tree,  however  large.  Numbers  of  the  largest 
were  laid  down  by  each  other,  as  if  strewn  by  the  whirlwind  with 
as  much  ease  as  so  many  straws  scattered  by  a  light  wind.  The 
ascent  of  this  mountain  is  very  steep,  but  it  is  rendered  easy  by  trail- 
ing it  properly.  On  the  top  is  a  level  of  many  miles,  and  through  it 
runs  the  principal  branch  of  the  Juniata.  It  is  loaded  with  chest- 
nut and  oak,  very  large.  The  snow  was  about  one  foot  deep  on  the 
mountain  ;  and  yet  the  weather  [was]  so  mild  that  I  traveled  with- 
out a  great  coat.  The  road  on  the  top  of  this  mountain,  and  in 
descending  it,  and  thence  to  Stony  Creek,  is  miry  and  stony,  and 
leads  through  a  number  of  dismal 

" '  Fogs,  bogs,  fens  and  shades  of  death.'  " 

2  The  Laurel  Hill,  in  Pennsylvania,  is  a  mountainous  range, 
having  a  northeasterly  and  southwesterly  trend,  parallel  to  the 
Alleghany  mountains  proper,  but  on  the  other  (or  west)  side  of 
Somerset  county. 

"  On  the  29th  [of  Nov.,  1784]  "  says  Lee,  "  we  traversed  a  part  of 
the  Alleghany,  called  '  Laurel  Bill,'  from  an  abundance  of  what  is 
called  in  Virginia,  '  ivy,'  growing  upon  it.  On  this  mountain,  St. 
Jocelin  was  attacked  and  killed  by  the  Indians  ;  but  his  convoy  was 
saved.  On  this  mountain,  Capt.  Bullet  was  attacked  and  put  to 
flight,  by  a  party  of  Indians,  within  two  miles  of  [Fort]  Ligonier." 


HEARTS  JOURNAL.  21 

miles.  Total — 12  miles.  (Rainy  night  and  did  not 
march  till  10  o'clock  and  halted  two  miles  from  Stony 
Creek  and  encamped.     Total — 7  miles.) 

Quarters,  Encampment, 

Thursday,  October  6,  1785. 

Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Route  :  Foot  of  Laurel  Hill,  7  miles ;  up  Laurel  Hill1,  4 
miles.     Total — 11  miles. 

Encamped,  Top  Laurel  Hill, 

October  7,  1785. 

Company  march  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Route  :  Fort  Ligonier2,  7  miles ;  4  Mile  Run,  4  miles. 
Total — 11  miles. 


1  Capt.  Heart  was  here  met  by  Lient.  Col.  Josiah  Harmar,  re- 
turning to  Philadelphia,  as  will  appear  by  reference  to  the  letter 
of  the  latter,  of  October  22,  1785,  to  Gen.  Knox,  hereafter  given, 
in  this  book,  in  the  "  Dickinson-Harmar  Correspondence." 

4  Fort  Ligonier  was  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  Loyalhanna 
creek,  in  what  is  now  Ligonier  township,  Westmoreland  county, 
Pa.  It  was  erected  in  1758  and  played  an  important  part  in 
Pontiac's  war  and  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  It  was  near  the 
site  of  the  present  village  of  the  same  name. 

"  At  another  time  [the  writer  having  just  spoken  of  an  attack 
on  Capt.  Bullet,  by  the  Indians]  the  savages  attacked  the  hospital 
that  was  going  from  the  fort  [Ligonier]  and  massacred  the  sick. 
At  night,  we  reached  Fort  Ligonier,  built  in  1758,  by  Gen.  Forbes 
as  a  station,  in  his  progress  against  Fort  Pitt  [Fort  Duquesne].  It 
[Fort  Ligonier]  was  frequently  attacked  by  the  French  and  Indians 
and  many  of  its  troops  killed.     A  very  good  and  capacious  stockade 


2 2  heart's  jo  ubnal. 

Quarters,  4  Mile  Run1, 

Saturday,  October  8,  1785. 

Company  march  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise.  Route  : 
9  Mile  Run,  5  miles ;  12  Mile  Run,  3  miles,  Hannas- 
town2,  Sh  miles.     Total — [Hi  miles]. 


fort  was  raised  there  during  the  late  [Revolutionary]  war  as  a 
defence  against  Indian  incursions.  But  they  massacred  the  inhabit- 
ants as  far  as  Bedford,  having  passed  the  fort  through  the  woods 
and  over  the  mountains." — Arthur  Zee,  Nov.  29,  1784. 

1  Four  Mile  Run,  Nine  Mile  Run,  and  Twelve  Mile  Run,  are  all 
"Runs"  flowing  to  the  northward  into  the  Loyalhanna.  They 
got  their  names  from  their  respective  distances  from  Fort  Ligonier. 
Immediately  across  the  last  mentioned  "  Run  "  and  on  the  west 
side,  was  "  Proctor's." 

2  Hannastown,  or,  simply,  "  Hanna's,"  as  it  was  sometimes 
called,  was  thus  named  in  honor  of  Robert  Hanna,  its  first  resident. 
It  had  been  since  the .  organization  of  Westmoreland  county,  in 
1773,  the  county-seat  of  that  county  ;  but  in  July,  1782,  it  was 
nearly  destroyed  by  the  Indians.  Its  locality  (which  is  still  given 
on  some  of  the  maps  of  the  county)  was  on  the  "  Forbes  road," 
about  three  miles  northeast  of  what  is  now  Greensburg,  the  seat  of 
justice  of  the  county.  It  was  located  in  the  present  township  of 
Hempfield,  near  its  northern  boundary. 

"On  the  30th  [of  Nov.,  1784],"  writes  Lee,  "we  crossed  the 
Loyalhanna,  the  Chestnut  Hill  (or  mountain),  to  Hannah's  town 
[Hannastown],  This  place  and  the  neighborhood  felt  the  weight 
of  the  late  [Revolutionary]  war.  The  Indians  under  the  command 
of  refugees  and  white  men,  to  the  number  of  three  hundred,  beset 
the  town,  burnt  all  the  houses  not  under  the  protection  of  the 
stockaded  fort  [Reed],  and  carried  away  about  twenty  prisoners. 
[This  is  not  exactly  correct.]  From  this  place  to  Fort  Pitt,  the 
inhabitants  were  almost  all  driven  off  by  the  Indians." 


heart's  journal.  23 

Quarters,  Hannastown, 

Sunday,  October  9,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  sunrise. 
Route:  Bushy  Run1, 10  miles;  to  Cook's, 4  miles.  Total — 
14  miles. 

Quarters,  Cook's, 

Monday,  October  10,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  day  light, 
leaving  the  tents  standing  with  the  guards  who  will  load 
the  wagons  and  join  the  Company  at  Widow  Myers'2, 
where  the  Company  halts  for  the  day  to  rest  and  clean. 
[Route  :  to  Widow  Myers', —  miles.] 

Quarters,  Widow  Myers', 

Tuesday,  October  11,  1785. 

The  Company  marches  to-morrow  morning  at  11  o'clock. 
Route :  Bullock  Pens3,  6  miles ;  Fort  Pitt,  6  miles. 
Total— 12  miles.      . 


1  Capt.  Heart  and  his  company  were  then  in  what  is,  at  the 
present  time,  Penn  township,  Westmoreland  county,  Pa.  It  was 
near  this  Run,  that  Col.  Henry  Bouquet  fought  on  the  5th  and  6th 
of  August,  1763,  the  combined  forces  of  Delawares,  Shawanese, 
Mingoes,  Wyandots,  Mohicans,  Miamis  and  Ottawas,  and  defeated 
them. 

*  At  first  known  as  "  Myers'  Tavern." 

3  Deposition  of   William  Elliot,  taken  at  Pittsburgh,  March  10, 
1777  : 
"  William  Elliot  deposed  that  he  settled  and  improved  a  planta- 


24  heart's  journal. 

Quarters,  Fort  Pitt1, 

Wednesday,  October  12,  1785. 
The  Company  will  remain  on  the  ground   until  fur- 
ther orders. 


tion  about  seven  miles  from  Fort  Pitt  on  the  public  road  at  a 
place  called  'the  Bullock  Pens,'  in  the  year  1776  [1767?],  by  per- 
mission of  Col.  Reed,  the  officer  commanding  at  that  place,  dated 
August   29th,    1765,    and  is   now   in    possession   of  the   same." 

—  Calendar  of  Va.  State  .Papers,  Vol.  I,  p.  280. 

Richard  Butler  passed  over  the  road  from  Carlisle  to  Fort  Pitt 
traveled  by  Capt.  Heart  and  his  company,  only  a  few  days  before 
the  latter.  In  his  Journal,  he  says  :  "  Staid  on  Saturday  [Sept. 
14, 1785]  at  Shippensburg.  Set  out  on  Sunday  ;  came  to  Littleton  \ 
thence  to  Bedford,  Stony  Creek,  Proctor's,  Widow  Myers',  and  was 
met  near  the  Bullock  Pens  by  Col.  B.  and  other  gentlemen. 
Arrived  at  Fort  Pitt,  on  the  16th  [of  Sept.,  1785]." 

Lee's  Journal  says  :  "The  first  of  December  [1784],  brought  us 
across  Turtle  creek  through  its  rich  bottoms  and  the  Bull-pen 
swamp  to  Mr.  [William]  Elliot's  ;  when  ourselves,  our  servants, 
several  wagoners,  his  wife  and  eight  children,  and  a  young  daughter, 
all  undressed  and  went  to  bed  on  the  floor  together,  in  a  miserable 
log  house." 

1 A  fort — Duquesne — was  built  by  the  French  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  old  French  war,  at  what  was  afterward  called  Pittsburgh, 
but  was  burned  by  them  in  1758,  immediately  before  the  occupation 
of  the  place  by  the  British  under  General  Forbes.  It  was  a  strong 
fortification  of  earth  and  wood  stockaded.  In  December,  1758,  the 
British  erected  a  small  stockade,  with  bastions,  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  ruins  of  the  French  post.  The  next  year,  however, 
was  commenced  a  more  formidable  fortification.  It  was  near  the 
site  of  Fort  Duquesne,  and  was  named  Fort  Pitt.  It  remained  in 
possession  of  a  British  force  until  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1772, 
when  it  was   abandoned  and  considerably,   though  not  wholly,    de- 


HEART'S  JO  UBNAL.  2 5 

stroyed.  During  the  year  1773  a  citizen  of  Pittsburgh — Edward 
Ward — had  possession  of  what  was  left.  It  was,  in  1774,  re-occu- 
pied and  somewhat  repaired  by  Captain  John  Conolly,  under  orders 
from  Lord  Dunmore,  as  a  Virginia  post,  and  its  name  changed  to 
Fort  Dunmore,  though  the  Pennsylvanians  still  adhered  to  "  Fort 
Pitt,"  which  name  was  fully  restored  when  Dunmore  became  odious 
to  Virginia.  It  was  vacated  by  Conolly  just  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Revolution.  Its  first  occupation  after  that  struggle  began 
was  by  Virginia  troops  under  Captain  John  Neville,  in  1775,  who 
were  superceded  early  in  1777  by  others  raised  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  Pittsburgh.  Following  these  was  a  Continental 
garrison,  first  under  Brigadier  General  Edward  Hand,  afterward 
under  Brigadier  General  Lachlan  Mcintosh,  whose  successor  was 
Col.  Daniel  Brodhead,  followed  by  Colonel  John  Gibson,  in  com- 
mand in  October,  1781.  Gibson's  successor  was  Brigadier  General 
William  Irvine  who  took  command  of  the  fort  and  its  dependencies 
early  in  November,  1781,  relinquishing  it  October  1,  1783.  He  was 
followed  by  Capt.  Joseph  Marbury  who  yielded  the  command 
during  the  first  half  of  1784  to  Lieut.  David  Luckett.  The  latter 
was  relieved  at  his  own  request  from  the  service  of  the  United 
States  by  a  resolution  of  Congress  passed  June  7,  1785;  at  the 
same  time,  a  small  detachment  from  Josiah  Harraar's  regiment 
was  ordered  to  take  the  place  of  the  men  stationed  there,  to  take 
charge  of  the  public  stores. 

In  a  memorandum  of  Capt.  Isaac  Craig's  march  from  Carlisle  to 
Fort  Pitt,  in  1780,  by  the  way  of  Fort  Cumberland,  Md.,  the  fol- 
lowing points  are  noted  :  Carlisle,  McAllister's,  Shippensburg,  Little 
Conococheague,  Pauling's,  Jacquese's  Furnace,  Licking  Creek, 
Feeding  Rock,  Old  Town,  Fort  Cumberland,  Hall's,  Tittle's,  Tom- 
linson's,  Bear  Camp,  Rice's,  Big  Meadows,  Gist's,  Blackstone's, 
Ralph's,  Hugh's,  Near  Waltour's,  Widow  Myers',  Bullock  Pens, 
Fort  Pitt. 

Recapitulation. — Capt.  Heart's  route  from  New  Windsor,  N.  Y., 
to  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  the  distances  in  miles  between  places,  as 
given  in  the  foregoing  Journal  : 

Edmunstone's  Tavern,  3 ;  Bethlehem,  3 ;  Blooming  Green  [Bloom- 
ing Grove],  6;  Wanmers,  3;  Chester,  3;  Warwick,  9;  Hadestown,  6; 
4 


2  6  HEART'S  JO  URNAL. 

Walsingham,  8;  Carey's  Tavern,  3;  Sussex,  10;  Log  Town,  10; 
Hope,  6;  Harwick,  5;  Oxford,  7;  Easton,  10;  Bethlehem,  12; 
Allentown,  6;  Great  Spring,  8;  County  Line,  4;  Kerbytown,  6; 
Maden  Creek,  12;  Reading,  — ;  Middletown,  14;  Myerstown,  7  ; 
Lebanon,  7;  Horaestown,  18;  Harris's  Ferry  [Harrisburg],  9;  Major 
Reed's,  14  (and  one  mile  ferry);  Carlisle,  3;  Mount  Rock,  7;  Ship- 
pensburg,  14;  Esquire  Finley's,  7;  Pibles,  6;  Fort  Loudon,  9; 
Harris's,  2|;  Path  Valley,  5;  Burnt  Cabins,  7;  Fort  Littleton,  4; 
Bottom  of  Sideling  Hill,  9|;  Top  of  Sideling  Hill,  3;  Bottom  of 
Ray's  Hill,  4;  Juniata,  3;  Bloody  Run,  7;  Bedford,  8;  Bennett's,  4; 
Anderson's,  5;  Foot  of  Alleghany  Mountains,  6;  Top  of  Mountains, 
6;  Miller's,  4;  Stony  Creek,  5;  Foot  of  Laurel  Hill,  7;  Up  Laurel 
Hill,  4;  Fort  Ligonier,  7;  Four  Mile  Run,  4;  Nine  Mile  Run,  5; 
Twelve  Mile  Run,  3;  Hannastown,  3£;  Bushy  Run,  10;  Cook's,  4; 
Widow  Myers',  — ;  Bullock  Pens,  6;  Fort  Pitt  [Pittsburgh],  6. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

1784-5. 


DICKINSON1  TO  HARMAR2. 

In  Council3,  [Philadelphia],  August  14,  1784. 

Sir : — Agreeable  to  our  communication  of  this  day, 
you  will  proceed  immediately  to  enlist  and  embody  three 
companies  of  infantry,  each  consisting  of  seventy  men, 
and  fifty  men  as  part  of  [an]  artillery  company.  In  per- 
forming this  service,  you  will  please  to  conform  strictly  to 
the  following  rules  : 

First,  To  guard  against  imposition,  every  recruit,  be- 
fore his  attestation  be  signed,  is  to  be  carefully  examined, 
lest  he  should  have  a  rupture,  fits,  or  some  other  disease, 
which  may  render  him  incapable  of  performing  the  more 
active  duties  of  the  soldier.  All  such,  and  also  all  persons 
who  have   been  in  the  British   service  at  any  time  during 


1  John  Dickinson,  President  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Governor  of  the  State. 

8  Lieutenant  Colonel  Josiah  Harmar. 

3  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  ;  a  small  body  of 
men  answering  to  a  State  Senate;  the  other  branch  was,  as  now, 
the  General   Assembly. 


28  DICKIN80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

the  late  war,  and  also  all  persons  who  have  been  in  the 
American  service  and  have  not  been  honorably  dis- 
charged, are  to  be  absolutely  rejected,  and  those  of  the 
best  character  both  as  soldiers  and  men  to  be  selected. 

Secondly,  when  an  unexceptionable  recruit  shall  be  en- 
gaged, you  are  to  take  or  send  him  to  some  justice  of  the 
peace,  who,  finding  him  to  be  sober  and  having  read  to 
him  the  form  of  the  enlistment  and  attestation,  is  to  cause 
the  recruit  to  sign  the  said  enlistment  and  then  administer 
to  him  the  oath  herewith  enclosed,  duplicate  of  which  at- 
testation and  enlistment  the  justice  shall  witness.  Of 
these,  one  copy  is  to  be  transmitted  to  this  Board ;  the 
other  you  will  retain  in  your  hands. 

Thirdly,  The  inclosed  form  of  enlistment  and  attesta- 
tion is  to  be  invariably  observed.1 


1  Form  of  Acknowledgement  and  Attestation. 

"I, ,  acknowledge 

myself  to  be  fairly  and  truly  enlisted  in  the  Pennsylvania  troops, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Josiah  Harinar,  for  tbe  space  of 
one  vear,  unless    sooner  discharged.     In  witness   whereof,  I  have 

hereunto  set  my  hand  this day  of ,1784. 

"[Signed] 

"  Witness,  •" 

«  I  ,  do  swear  to  be   true 

and  faithful  to  the  United  States  of  America  ;  that  I  will  faithfully 
serve  them  in  the  troops  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Josiah 
Harmar  for  the  space  of  one  year  from  the  date  of  this  attestation, 
unless  sooner  discharged;  and  that  I  will  be  obedient  to  the  orders 
of  Congress  and  of  the  committee  of  the  state  in  the  recess  of  Con- 
gress, and  to  the  officers  who  are  or  shall  be  set  over  me,  according 
to  the  rules  and  regulations  formed  for  the  government  of  the  late 


D1CKINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  29 

Fourthly,  as  an  encouragement  for  the  enlistment  of 
such  recruit,  you  are  authorized  to  offer  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  the  pay,  subsistence  and  rations  heretofore 
allowed  to  the  troops  of  the  United  States,  and  one 
month's  pay  after  the  troops  are  embodied  before  their 
march. 

Fifthly,  Council  expect  a  weekly  report  of  your  progress 
in  this  business  till  it  be  concluded.1 


army  of  the  United  States,  or  such  rules  and  regulations  as  Con- 
gress or  a  committee  of  the  state  may  form.     So  help  me  [God.] 
"[Signed.] _ " 

"  Sworn  before  me,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  ) 
this day  of .,  1734."  \ 

1  The  Resolutions  of  Congress  authorizing  the  raising,  by  the 
states  named,  of  a  number  of  their  militia  to  form  a  corps  for 
western  service,  were  passed  June  3,  1784.  These  resolutions 
were  as  follows  : 

"  Whereas  a  body  of  troops,  to  consist  of  seven  hundred  non- 
commissioned officers  and  privates,  properly  officered,  are  imme- 
diately and  indispensably  necessary  for  talcing  possession  of  the 
western  posts,  as  soon  as  evacuated  by  the  troops  of  liw  H  itauuic 
Majesty,  for  the  protection  of  the  northwestern  frontiers,  and  for 
guarding  the  public  stores; 

"Resolved,  that  it  be  and  it  is  hereby  recommended  to  the  states 
hereafter  named,  as  most  conveniently  situated,  to  furnish  forth- 
with from  their  militia,  seven  hundred  men  to  serve  for  twelve 
months,  unless  sooner  discharged,  in  the  following  portions,  viz.: 
Connecticut,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  ;  New  York,  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five;  New  Jersey,  one  hundred  and  ten;  Pennsylvania, 
two  hundred  and  sixty.     Total — seven  hundred. 


30  D1CK1NSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Philadelphia,  August  16,  1784. 

The   respectable  appointment  which   your   Honorable 
Body  has  been  pleased  to  confer  upon  me,  and  the  very 


"  Hesolved,  that  the  Secretary  in  the  war  office  take  order  for 
forming  the  said  troops  when  assembled,  into  one  regiment,  to  con- 
sist of  eight  companies  of  infantry  and  two  of  artillery,  arming  and 
equipping  them' in  a  soldier-like  manner;  and  that  he  be  authorized 
to  direct  their  destination  and  operations,  subject  to  the  order  of 
Congress  and  of  the  committee  of  the  states  in  the  recess  of  Con- 
gress. 

"Hesolved,  that  the  pay,  subsistence  and  rations  of  the  officers 
and  men,  shall  be  the  same  as  has  been  heretofore  allowed  to  the 
troops  of  the  United  States  ;  and  that  each  officer  and  soldier  shall 
receive  one  month's  pay  after  they  are  embodied,  before  their 
march. 

"  Hesolved,  that  the  staff  and  commissioned  officers  of  the  said 
troops,  consist  of  the  following  and  be  furnished  by  the  several 
states  hereinafter  mentioned  ;  that  is  to  say,  one  lieutenant  colonel 
commandant  from  Pennsylvania  ;  two  majors,  one  from  Connecti- 
cut and  one  from  New  York,  each  major  to  command  a  company  ; 
eight  captains  from  the  several  states  furnishing  the  troops  in 
the  nearest  proportion  to  the  number  of  the  men  furnished  ;  ten 
lieutenants,  one  to  act  as  adjutant  ;  ten  ensigns;  one  regimental 
chaplain ;  one  surgeon ;  [and]  four  mates. 

"  Hesolved,  that  the  Secretary  in  the  war-office  give  the  necessary 
order  for  the  inferior  arrangements  and  organization  of  the  said 
troops,  and  make  the  apportionment  of  the  officers  to  be  furnished 
by  the  several  states,  not  herein  particularly  directed. 

"  Hesolved,  that  the  said  troops  when  embodied,  on  their  march, 
on  duty,  and  in  garrison,  shall  be  liable  to  all  the  rules  and  regula- 
tions formed  for  the  government  of  the  late  army  of  the  United 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  %\ 

polite  manner  in  which  it  was  done,  lay  me  under 
particular  obligations  to  your  Excellency  and  Council. 
Indeed  I  cannot  sufficiently  express  my  feelings  upon  this 
occasion  ;  I  shall  therefore  endeavor,  by  a  steady  attention 
to  the  duties  of  this  appointment,  to  render  every  possible 
service  to  my  country  and  thereby  merit  the  approbation 
of  your  Honorable  Board.1 


States,  or  such  rules  and  regulations  as  Congress  or  a  committee  of 
the  states  may  form. 

"  Resolved,  that  [Robert  Morris]  the  Superintendent  of  the  Finan- 
ces of  the  United  States  take  order  for  furnishing  on  the  warrant 
to  the  Secretary  in  the  war  office,  the  sums  requisite  for  carrying 
the  foregoing  resolutions  into  effect." 

That  it  was  generally  understood  throughout  the  country  that 
the  troops  to  be  recruited  and  sent  west  were  simply  to  garrison  the 
posts  which  were  to  be  turned  over  by  the  British  to  the  Americans, 
the  following  shows:  "Dec.  3d  [1783]. — By  proclamation  of  Con- 
gress, the  American  army  was  disbanded  ;  a  few  men  under  the 
command  of  a  captain  at  Fort  Pitt  excepted.  A  resolution  soon 
followed  for  raising  a  regiment  for  the  purpose  of  garrisoning  the 
western  posts — this  regiment  to  consist  of  ten  companies  portioned 
as  follows  :  Pennsylvania — 4  companies  and  Lieut.  Col.  Comm't. 
Jersey — 1  company.  New  York — 3  companies  and  a  Major.  Con- 
necticut— 2  companies  and  a  Major." 
— "Military  Journal  of  Major  Ebenezer  Denny"  pp.  257,  258. 

1  On  the  13th  of  August,  Col.  Harmar  was  appointed  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Commandant  of  the  militia  to  be  raised  under  the  resolu- 
tions of  Congress,  as  the  following  shows  : 

[In  Council],  Philadelphia,  Friday,  [Atigusi]  18,  1784. 
"In  pursuance  of  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  [of  Penn- 
sylvania]  entitled    'An  Act  for  furnishing  from  the  militia   of 


32  DICK1N80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 


DICKINSON  TO  MORRIS1. 

In  Council,  [Philadelphia],  August  19,  1784. 
Sir  : — Colonel  Harmar  has  this  morning  reported  to  us 
that  you  do  not  think  yourself  empowered  to  furnish  the 
sums  requisite  for  subsisting  the  quota  of  troops  required 
from  this  Commonwealth  by  the  resolution  of  Congress  of 
the  third  day  of  June  last2,  and  that  therefore  he  cannot 
proceed  in  enlisting  the  men,  though  numbers  have 
offered. 

By  the  seventh  of  the  said  resolutions  it  is  directed, 
"  that  the  superintendent  of  the  finances  of  the  United 
States  take  order  for  furnishing,  on  the  warrant  of  the 


Pennsylvania  the  quota  of  troops  required  by  Congress  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Northwestern  frontiers,  and  for  other  purposes,' 
Council  having  arranged  the  two  hundred  and  sixty  men  assigned 
as  the  quota  of  this  State  in  three  companies  of  infantry,  each  con- 
sisting of  seventy  men,  non-commissioned  officers  included,  the 
remaining  fifty  to  form  part  of  an  artillery  company, — took  into 
consideration  the  applications  for  commissions  and  made  the  follow- 
ing appointments  :  Josiah  Harmar,  to  be  Lieutenant  Colonel  Com- 
mandant ;  Walter  Finney,  David  Ziegler,  William  McCurdy, — 
Captains  of  Infantry  ;  Stewart  Herbert,  Ercurius  Beatty,  Thomas 
Doyle, — Lieutenants  ;  John  Armstrong,  Andrew  Henderson,  Kben- 
ezer  Denny, — Ensigns  ;  John  McDowell, — Surgeon  ;  Richard  Alli- 
son,— Surgeon's  Mate;  Artillery — Captain,  Thomas  Douglass,  [and] 
Lieutenant,  Joseph  Ashton." 

1  Robert  Morris,  Superintendent  of  the  Finances  of  the  United 
States. 

*  The  seventh  of  the  Resolutions  of  Congress  of  June  3,  1784.. 
See  ante  p.  31,  note. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  33 

Secretary  of  the  war  office,  the  sums  requisite  for  carrying 
the  foregoing  resolution  into  effect."  Conformably  to  the 
letter  and  spirit  of  this  resolution  the  General  Assembly 
has  by  the  late  law  founded  on  the  before  mentioned  act, 
ordered,  "that  the  pay,  rations  and  subsistence  of  the 
officers  and  men  shall  be  the  same  as  have  been  heretofore 
allowed,  provided  such  pay,  rations,  subsistence  and  other 
expenses  of  raising,  supporting  and  maintaining  the  said 
troops  be  furnished  by  the  United  States." 

We  are  of  opinion  that  this  state  ought  only  to  furnish 
and  not  to  feed  the  men ;  and  we  should  be  extremely 
sorry  that  after  such  prompt  and  zealous  exertions  on  the 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  for  accomplishing  the  intentions  of 
Congress,  the  whole  plan  should  be  now  defeated  by  a 
construction  put  upon  their  expressions  by  any  of  their 
own  officers. 


MORRIS  TO  DICKINSON. 

Office  of  Finance,  August  19,  1784. 
Sir  : — I  had  just  now  the  honor  to  receive  your  Ex- 
cellency's letter  dated  in  Council  this  day.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  a  conversation  with  Col.  Harmar  this  morning. 
In  the  course  of  it,  I  expressed  my  opinion  that  as  the 
United  States  had  made  a  call  for  militia  they  could  hardly 
have  had  it  in  contemplation  to  pay  any  expenses  of  rais- 
ing recruits  or  of  supporting  them  until  after  they  should 
be  assembled  in  readiness  to  obey  orders  to  be  issued  by 
authority  of  Congress.  I  took  occasion  also  to  observe 
that  the  States  of  Connecticut,  New  York  and  New  Jersey, 
being  at  a  distance  from  the    public  treasury,  could  not 


34  D1CEIN80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

apply  for  money  to  defray  the  like  expenses  should  they 
pursue  the  same  mode  of  furnishing  their  respective 
quotas. 

Since  the  receipt  of  your  Excellency's  letter,  being 
apprehensive  lest  the  construction  I  had  ventured  to  put 
upon  the  expressions  of  Congress  should  be  contrary  to 
their  intentions,  I  had  recourse  to  the  printed  journal, 
and  am  rathered  confirmed  in  my  former  idea ;  for  I  find 
that  a  motion  was  made  to  add  the  following  clause — 
"  that  where  the  laws  of  any  state  will  not  admit  of  their 
militia  being  called  out  on  the  terms  prescribed  in  the 
foregoing  resolutions  such  state  may  be  permitted  to 
engage  the  quota  of  men  assigned  it,  in  such  manner  as 
the  Legislature  thereof  shall  direct ;"  and  I  find  that  this 
motion  was  set  aside  by  the  previous  question. 

I  shall  not  pretend  to  enquire  whether  the  act  of  your 
Legislature  is  or  is  not  conformable  to  the  letter  and  spirit 
of  the  seventh  resolution  quoted  in  your  Excellency's 
letter.  I  have  great  respect  for  the  wisdom  of  the  Honor- 
able Assembly.  I  entertain  a  just  sense  of  the  prompt 
and  zealous  exertions  made  on  the  part  of  Pennsylvania ; 
and  I  should  feel  much  regret  if  the  plan  were  defeated. 
My  construction  of  the  seventh  resolution  is  contained  in 
the  answer  of  this  date  to  a  letter  of  yesterday  from  the 
Secretary  in  the  war  office,  of  both  which  I  have  the  honor 
to  enclose  copies.1 


1  The  letter  of  the  Secretary  in  the  war  office — Joseph  Carleton — 
to  Morris  was  as  follows  : 

;c  War  Office,  August  18,  1784. 

"Sir: — I  do  myself  the  honor  to  inform  yon  that  the  officers 
lately  appointed  by  the  Executive   of  Pennsylvania  have  orders 


DICK1NS0N-RARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  35 

HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Philadephia,  August  25,  1784. 

Sir  . — As  it  is  necessary  that  the  officers  previous  to 
receiving  their  commissions  should  have  taken  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  the  state,  I  can  certify  to  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council  that  Captains  Finney,  Doug- 
lass, Ziegler  and  McCurdy,  likewise  Lieutenants  Herbert 
and  Doyle,  and  the  surgeon,  McDowell,  have  already  taken 
it.  The  other  officers  I  cannot  certify  to,  but  have  not  the 
least  doubt  but  the  oath  has  been  taken  by  them.  Your 
Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council  may  be  assured 
that  previous  to  my  delivering  them  their  commissions,  I 


from  their  commanding  officer  to  proceed  immediately  on  the 
recruiting  business,  who  has  made  choice  of  Philadelphia  and 
Lancaster  as  the  fittest  place  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  recruits. 
As  provisions  will  be  immediately  wanted  for  their  support,  I  beg 
leave  to  suggest  the  expediency  of  temporary  contracts  being 
formed  at  these  posts  for  the  supply  of  the  troops  as  they  are 
enlisted." 

The  reply  of  Morris  was  in  these  words  : 

Office  of  Finance,  August  19,  1784. 
"  Sir  : — I  have  received  your  favor  of  the  eighteenth.  I  am 
clearly  of  opinion  that  it  is  always  best  to  supply  rations  by  con- 
tract. You  will  observe  that  by  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  third 
of  June  last,  I  am  directed  to  take  order  for  furnishing  on  your 
warrants  the  sums  necessary  for  carrying  their  resolutions  into 
effect.  Not  conceiving  myself  authorised  by  this  act  to  form  any 
judgment  either  on  the  amount  or  on  the  application  of  the  sums 
in  question,  I  can  only  say  in  answer  to  your  letter  that  the 
warrants  you  may  think  proper  to  issue  shall  meet  due  honor." 


36  DICK1N80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

will  be  well  convinced  that  every  one  shall  have  taken 
the  oath.1 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Saturday  Noon,  August  28,  1784. 

I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  your  Excellency  and  the 
Honorable  Council,  a  Statement2  of  the  troops  at  present. 
Since  this  Return  has  been  made,  several  more  men  have 


1  Some  of  the  Pennsylvania  appointments  did  not  give  entire 
satisfaction  to  the  recipients,  as  the  following  from  John  Armstrong 
to  the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  shows  : 

Sunbury,  August  24,  1*784. 

"  Sir  : — By  a  letter  from  Col.  Harmar,  I  find  your  Excellency 
and  Council  have  been  pleased  to  honor  me  with  an  appointment 
in  the  Continental  regiment  under  his  command.  After  acknowl- 
edgments to  your  Excellency  and  Council  for  their  confidence,  [I] 
beg  leave  to  observe  that  I  feel  myself  hurt  in  being  only  appointed 
as  ensign  after  having  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  Continental 
army  since  the  11th  of  September,  1777,  and  lately  honored  by 
Congress  with  a  captain's  commission  by  brevet  ;  and,  while  I 
accept  my  present  appointment,  hope  your  Excellency  and  Council, 
will  give  me  the  rank  I  held  in  the  Continental  army." 

9  The  Statement  was  as  follows  : 

"  Report  of  the  American  Regiment  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Josiah  Harmar.  Camp,  Western  Heights  of 
Schuylkill,  August  28,  1784.  Artillery:  Captain  Douglass, — pre- 
sent for  duty,  22;  sick,  1  ;  absent  without  leave,  1  ;  confined,  1. 
Infantry  :  Captain  Finney, — present  for  duty,  30  ;  absent  without 


DICEIN80N-HABMAB  CORRESPONDENCE.  37 

been  recruited.  I  imagine  my  total  is  about  one  hundred. 
I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Capt.  Ziegler  dated 
August  24th,  wherein  [he  says]  his  success  is  but  very 
trifling  as  yet. 


LEE  AND  BUTLER1  TO  DICKINSON. 

Philadelphia,  September  11,  1784. 
Sir  : — Upon  ordering  the  troops  raised  in  this  state  for 
the  purpose  of  the  treaty  with  the  Indians  to  prepare 


leave,  3.     Captain  McCurdy, — present  for  duty,  21  ;  absent  without 
leave,  1.     Captain  Ziegler, — no  accounts  yet  of  his  success." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Col.  Harmar,  in  this  Report,  designates 
his  corps  as  "  the  American  Regiment."  His  next  (as  were  most  of 
his  subsequent  Returns)  was  signed  by  himself  as  "  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Commanding  First  American  Regiment."  But  this  naming 
his  corps  the  "First  American  Regiment"  was  wholly  without 
authority  of  Congress.  Both  officers  and  troops  were  simply  militia 
of  Pennsylvania  (and,  afterward,  other  states)  in  service  of  the 
United  States. 

1  Arthur  Lee  and  Richard  Butler,  United  States  Commissioners  of 
Indian  Affairs.  The  following  extracts  from  the  Journals  of 
Congress,  refer  to  the  appointment  of  these  and  other  Commis- 
sioners : 

"  Congress  proceeded  to  the  election  of  five  Commissioners  to 
negotiate  with  the  Indians  ;  and  the  ballots  being  taken,  Mr. 
George  Rogers  Clark,  Mr.  Oliver  Wolcott,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Greene, 
Mr.  Richard  Butler,  and  Mr.  Stephen  Higginson,  were  elected." 
[March  4,  1784.] 

"  Resolved,  That  another  Commissioner  be  appointed  in  addition 
to  those  appointed  by  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  4th  of  March  last, 


38  D1CKINS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

for  an  immediate  march  to  Pittsburgh1,  we  are  informed 
that  several  of  the  officers  are  absent  from  their  duty. 
Who  they  are  will  be  represented  to  your  Excellency  by 
the  Colonel  Commandant  of  those  troops. 


to  negotiate  with  the  Indians  ;  and  that  to-morrow  be  assigned  for 
that  purpose."     [Passed  April  6,  1784.] 

"According  to  order,  Congress  proceeded  to  the  election  of 
another  Commissioner  in  addition  to  those  appointed  on  the  4th  of 
March  last,  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians  ;  and,  the  ballots  being 
taken,  Mr.  Philip  Schuyler  was  elected."     [April  7,  1784.] 

"  According  to  the  order  of  the  day,  Congress  proceeded  to  the 
election  of  two  Commissioners  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians,  in 
the  room  of  Mr.  S.  Higginson  and  Mr.  N.  Greene,  who  have  declined 
that  office  ;  and,  the  ballots  being  taken,  Mr.  Benjamin  Lincoln, 
and  Mr.  Arthur  Lee  were  elected."     [April  24,  1784.] 

1  The  two  Commissioners,  in  ordering  the  Pennsylvania  troops  to 
the  westward  to  protect  them  in  holding  treaties  with  the  Indians, 
were  acting  under  authority  of  Congress  as  expressed  in  the 
following  Resolutions  passed  June  3,  1784  : 

"  Whereas  it  is  necessary  to  expedite  the  holding  treaties  with 
the  Indian  nations,  which  it  appears  cannot  be  done  but  under  the 
protection  of  an  armed  force  ;  therefore, 

"  Jiesolved,  That  the  Secretary  in  the  war  office  be,  and  he  is 
hereby  directed  to  order  three  hundred  men  of  the  militia  directed 
to  be  raised  by  the  act  of  this  day,  to  be  in  readiness  to  march 
when  and  to  what  place  or  places  the  Commissioners  for  negotiating 
with  the  Indians  or  any  two  of  them  shall  direct :  and  that  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  said  troops  give  such  protection  to  the 
Commissioners  as  they,  or  any  two  of  them,  shall  require;  and  that 
the  said  Secretary  give  orders  to  the  different  keepers  of  the  public 
stores  to  furnish  to  the  order  of  the  Commissioners,  or  any  two  of 
them,  such  tents,  marquees  and  other  articles  as  the  said  Commis- 
sioners shall  think  proper. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Superintendent  of  Finance  take  order  for 
purchasing  and  transmitting  the  articles  necessary  for  the  Indian 


D1CK1N80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  39 

As  the  public  service  requires  the  immediate  attend- 
ance of  all  the  officers  and  indeed  did  require  it  from  the 
moment  of  their  appointment,  we  take  the  liberty  of 
requesting  your  Excellency  and  the  Council  to  appoint 
persons  who  are  present  and  who  will  immediately  attend 
to  their  duty,  in  the  place  of  those  who  shall  be  reported 
as  absent.  The  attention  your  Excellency  and  the 
Council  have  hitherto  given  to  expediting  this  indis- 
pensible  support  to  the  treaty,  makes  us  rely  upon  a  com- 
pliance with  what  we  now  request. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Philadelphia,  September  25,  1784. 
Sir  : — I  have  the    honor  to  inclose   to  your  Excellency 


treaties,  according  to  a  list  hereunto  annexed,  to  such  places  as  the 
Commissioners  appointed  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians,  or  any  two 
of  them,  shall  direct  :  that  he  furnish  such  additional  articles  not 
exceeding  the  sum  of  four  thousand  dollars,  as  the  said  Commis- 
sioners shall  order  ;  and  that  he  contract  with  such  persons  as  he 
may  think  proper,  to  furnish  sixty  thousand  rations  for  the  Indian 
treaties  at  such  places  as  the  Commissioners,  or  any  two  of  them, 
shall  direct,  together  with  such  things  as  shall  be  necessary  for 
the  expenses  of  the  said  Commissioners  during  the  negotiation. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Commissioners  for  negotiating  with  the 
Indians,  or  any  two  of  them,  being  a  majority  of  those  present,  be 
empowered  to  do  the  business  of  the  commission,  and  to  appoint  a 
secretary,  messengers,  interpreters,  store-keepers  and  such  artificers 
as  they  may  find  necessary,  and  to  agree  with  them  for  their  pay, 
for  which  they  shall  draw  warrants  on  the  treasury." 


40  D1CK1NSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

and  the  Honorable  Council,  a  weekly  Return1  of  the  troops 
under  my  command,  and  at  the  same  time  to  inform 
[you]  that  last  Wednesday,  the  artillery  and  Captain 
Finney's  company  marched  from  their  encampment  for 
Fort  Pitt  [at  Pittsburgh].  In  the  course  of  next  week  the 
remainder  of  the  troops  will  march. 


Mcdowell8  to  Dickinson. 

Philadelphia,  September  30,  1784. 

His  Excellency  the  President  and  the  Honorable 
Members  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania. 

Gentlemen  : — When  the  troops  marched  this  morning, 
three  men  were  left  on  the  ground  too  sick  to  go  on  with 
the  detachment.     I    am  of   opinion   that   they   will   be 


1  Weekly  Report  of  the  First  American  Regiment  under  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  Colonel  Josiah  Harmar.  Camp,  September  25, 
1784.  Companies  :  Artillery,  Capt.  Douglass'  company — present 
fit  for  service,  4  sergeants,  4  corporals,  41  privates; — sick  (absent)  1. 
Infantry,  present  fit  for  service,  Capt.  Finney's  company — 3  ser- 
geants, 1  corporal,  60  privates; — sick  (present)  1;  on  extra  service,  1. 
Capt.  Ziegler's  company,  present  fit  for  service — 3  sergeants,  4  cor- 
porals, 52  privates; — sick  (present)  1;  sick  (absent)  2;  absent  with- 
out leave,  7.  Capt.  McCurdy's  company, — present  fit  for  service,  1 
sergeant,  2  corporals,  46  privates;  sick  (present)  1 1 ;  on  extra  ser- 
vice, 1;  absent  without  leave,  9;  confined,  1.  N.  B.  The  artillery 
and  Capt.  Finney's  company  are  on  their  march  to  Fort  Pitt  [at 
Pittsburgh]." 

8  John  McDowell,  surgeon  of  the  "  first  American  Regiment." 


DICKINSON  HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  A\ 

able  to  follow  the  regiment  in  the  course  of  two  or  three 
weeks,  if  they  are  properly  attended  to.  It  is  a  pity  to 
leave  them  lying  on  the  ground  friendless  and  moneyless. 
I  therefore  ordered  them,  with  the  advice  of  Col.  Harmar, 
to  be  removed  to  Carpenter's  Hall,  where  they  must 
stay  until  I  have  the  pleasure  of  your  commands  con- 
cerning them. 

HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Philadelphia,  October  1,  1784. 
Sir : — Agreeably  to  instructions  received  from  your 
Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council,  I  have  the  honor 
to  transmit  you  copies  of  the  several  enlistments  for  the 
troops  raised  in  this  state.  Yesterday,  the  remainder  of 
the  men,  viz. :  Capt.  Ziegler's  and  Capt.  McCurdy's  com- 
panies, marched  from  their  encampment  on  Schuykill 
river  for  Fort  Pitt  [at  Pittsburgh]. 

TREATY  AT  FORT  STANWIX1,  OCTOBER,  1784. 

Articles  [of  a  treaty]  concluded  at  Fort  Stanwix  on  the 
twenty-second  day  of  October,  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four,  between  Oliver  Wolcott,  Richard 
Butler  and  Arthur  Lee,  Commissioners  plenipotentiary 
from  the  United  States,  in  Congress  assembled,  on 
the  one  part,  and  the  sachems  and  warriors  of  the  Six 
Nations,  on  the  other. 


1  Fort  Stanwix — now  Rome,   Oneida  county,  N.  Y.      A  treaty 
between   Great   Britain  and  the  Six  Nations  (Iroquois)  was  hel  d 
here  in  1768,  when 
6 


42  D1CEINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

The  United  States  of  America  give  peace  to  the  Senecas, 
Mohawks,   Onondagas,   and  Cayugas,   and   receive   them 


"  All  that  tract  of  land  situate  in  North  America,  at  the  back  of 
the  British  settlements,  hounded  by  a  line  which  we  have  now 
agreed  upon,  and  do  hereby  establish  as  the  boundary  between  us 
and  the  British  Colonies  in  America  ;  beginning  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Cherokee,  or  Hogohege  river,  where  it  empties  into  the  river 
Ohio,  and  running  from  thence  upwards  along  the  south  side  of  the 
said  river  to  Kittanning,  which  is  above  Fort  Pitt  ;  from  thence  by 
a  direct  line  to  the  nearest  fork  of  the  west  branch  of  Susquehanna, 
thence  through  the  Alleghany  mountains,  along  the  south  side  of 
the  said  west  branch,  till  it  comes  opposite  to  the  mouth  of  a  creek 
called  Tiadaghton  ;  thence  across  the  west  branch  and  along  the 
south  side  of  that  creek  and  along  the  north  side  of  Burnet's  Hills, 
to  a  creek  called  Awandae  ;  thence  down  the  same  to  the  east 
branch  of  Susquehanna,  and  across  the  same,  and  up  the  east  side 
of  that  river,  to  Owegy;  from  thence  east  to  Delaware  river  and  up 
that  river  to  opposite  where  Tianaderha  falls  into  Susquehanna  ; 
thence  to  Tianaderha,  and  up  the  west  side  thereof  and  the  west 
side  of  its  west  branch  to  the  head  thereof  ;  and  thence  by  a  direct 
line  to  Canada  creek,  where  it  empties  into  Wood  creek,  at  the 
west  end  of  the  carrying  place  beyond  Fort  Stanwix  and  extending 
eastward  from  every  part  of  the  said  line  as  far  as  the  lands 
formerly  purchased,  so  as  to  comprehend  the  whole  of  the  lands  be- 
tween the  said  line  and  the  purchased  lands  or  settlements,  except 
what  is  within  the  province  of  Pennsylvania." 

The  Cherokee  river  mentioned  in  the  foregoing,  the  mouth  of 
which  was  the  starting  point  of  the  line,  is  now  known  as  the 
Tennessee  river  ;  while  the  terminating  point  is  at  present  properly 
described  as  the  confluence  of  Fish  creek  with  Wood  creek,  in 
Oneida  county,  N.  Y.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  the  west  half  of 
what  is  now  the  State  of  New  York  remained  in  possession  of  the 
Iroquois.     At  the  same  treaty,  the  province  of   Pennsylvania  pur- 


D1CKINS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  43 

into  their  protection  upon  the  following  conditions1 : 

Art.  1.  Six  hostages  shall  be  immediately  delivered  to 
the  Commissioners  by  the  said  nations,  to  remain  in  posses- 
sion of  the  United  States,  till  all  the  prisoners,  white  and 
black  which  were  taken  by  the  said  Senecas,  Mohawks, 
Onondagas  and  Cayugas,  or  by  any  of  them,  in  the  late 
war,  from  among  the  people  of  the  United  States,  shall  be 
delivered  up.2 


chased  of  these  Indians  all  their  lands  east  of  the  before-described 
line,  lying  within  its  boundaries,  which  had  not  previously  been 
bought  of  them. 

1  These  four  of  the  six  nations  of  the  Iroquois  were  hostile  to  the 
United  States  during  the  Revolution,  adhering  to  the  British  ;  that 
is,  they  were  finally  induced  to  take  up  the  hatchet  against  the 
Colonies,  though  solemnly  covenanting  with  the  latter  in  1775  and 
again  in  1776,  not  to  join  in  the  war  against  them.  By  the  treaty 
securing  the  independence  of  the  United  States,  Great  Britain 
renounced  and  yielded  to  the  latter  all  pretensions  and  claims 
whatsoever  to  all  the  country  south  and  west  of  the  Great  Lakes  as 
far  west  as  the  Mississippi ;  but,  in  that  treaty,  no  mention  was  made 
of  any  Indian  nation  ;  so  that  all  those  who  had  taken  up  the 
hatchet  against  the  Colonies  were  left  to  make  peace,  as  best  they 
could,  with  the  Americans.  Hence,  it  was  that  the  United  States 
boldly  declared  that  they  gave  peace  to  these  four  nations  above 
mentioned  and  received  them  into  their  protection  upon  certain 
conditions,  which  they  dictated.  This  feature  of  the  treaty  it  is 
important  to  understand. 

8  It  is  proper  here  to  explain  that  a  message  had  been  sent  to 
these  nations  previously,  that  the  delivery  of  all  prisoners  held  by 
them  would  be  a  condition  precedent  to  all  grants  of  peace  or  pro- 
tection on  the  part  of  the  United  States.  But  the  representatives  of 
the  four  nations  mentioned  having  placed  themselves  in  the  power 
of  the  Americans  without  complying  with  this  demand,  hostages 
were  properly  demanded. 


44  D1CKIN80NEARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Art.  2.  The  Oneida  and  Tuscarora  nations  shall  be 
secured  in  the  possession  of  the  lands  on  which  they  are 
settled.1 

Art.  3.  A  line  shall  be  drawn,  beginning  at  the  mouth 
of  a  creek,  about  four  miles  east  of  Niagara,  called 
Oyonwayea,  or  Johnston's  Landing  Place,  upon  the  lake 
named  by  the  Indians  Oswego,  and  by  us  Ontario ;  from 
thence  southerly,  in  a  direction  always  four  miles  east  of 
the  carrying  path  between  lake  Erie  and  Ontario,  to  the 
mouth  of  Tehoseroron,  or  Buffaloe  creek,  on  Lake  Erie  ; 
thence  south  to  the  north  boundary  of  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania2; thence  west,  to  the  end  of  the  said  north 
boundary3;  thence  south,  along  the  west  boundary  of  the 
said  state,   to  the  river  Ohio4;    the   said  line,  from    the 


1  These  two  nations  remained  friendly  to  the  United  States  during 
the  Revolution  ;  hence  the  stipulation  in  their  favor. 

1  It  will  be  seen,  by  reference  to  any  map  of  the  state  of  New  York, 
that  the  line  of  the  old  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  (1768),  running 
southerly  to  the  south  boundary  of  the  state  from  a  point  in  Oneida 
county,  was  now  moved  by  this  new  treaty  at  the  same  place,  so  far 
to  the  westward  that  comparatively  a  small  portion  of  the  state  lay 
to  the  westward  of  it. 

1  The  reason  why  the  line  was  made  to  run  west  the  whole  distance 
on  the  northern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  was  because,  at  that 
time  "  the  triangle "  bordering  on  Lake  Erie  had  not  yet  been 
purchased,  by  that  Commonwealth,  of  the  United  States. 

4  Of  course,  as  soon  as  the  line  drawn  at  this  treaty  struck  the 
Ohio,  it  came  up  to  the  line  of  the  old  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  (1768); 
and  from  this  point  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  river, 
these  Indians  had  already  sold  their  claim  to  the  eastward  ;  so  this 
point  being  reached,  there  was  no  need  of  running  the  line  farther 
down  the  Ohio. 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  4.5 

mouth  of  the  Oyonwayea  to  the  Ohio,  shall  be  the  western 
boundary  of  the  lands  of  the  Six  Nations ;  so  that  the 
Six  Nations  shall  and  do  yield  to  the  United  States,  all 
claims  to  the  country  west  of  the  said  boundary1;  and  then 
they  shall  be  secured  in  the  peaceful  possession  of  the 
lands  they  inhabit  east  and  north  of  the  same3,  reserving 
only  six  miles  square,  round  the  fort  of  Oswego,  to  the 
United  States,  for  the  support  of  the  same. 

Art.  4.  The  Commissioners  of  the  United  States,  in 
consideration  'of  the  present  circumstances  of  the  Six 
Nations,  and  in  execution  of  the  humane  and  liberal  views 
of  the  United  States,  upon  the  signing  of  the  above 
articles,  will  order  goods  to  be  delivered  to  the  said  Six 
Nations,  for  their  use  and  comfort.3 


1  The  reader  will  not  fail  to  observe  that  while  the  old  line  of  the 
treaty  of  1768  as  fixed  at  Fort  Stanwix,  was  the  east  boundary  of 
the  Iroquois  possessions,  the  new  line  of  the  present  treaty  became 
the  west  boundary  of  their  claims  ;  so  that  now,  so  far  as  the 
Six  Nations  were  concerned,  they  had  no  longer  any  rights  north- 
west of  the  river  Ohio.  It  was  because  there  were  other  Indian 
claimants  to  the  region  of  the  Northwest  that  other  treaties  were 
held  with  savage  nations  farther  to  the  westward,  with  what  results, 
in  the  next  instance,  the  sequel  shows. 

2  But  they  immediately  sold  all  lying  east  of  the  line  in  Pennsyl- 
vania to  that  Commonwealth  ;  so  that  the  latter  had  now  a  title  to 
all  the  country  west  and  north  of  the  Alleghany  and  Ohio  rivers 
within  her  boundaries,  free  and  clear  from  all  claims  of  the  Six 
Nations. 

8  The  articles  were  signed  on  the  part  of  the  United^States  by 
Oliver  Wolcott,  Richard  Butler  and  Arthur  Lee  ;  on  the  part  of 
the  Six  Nations,  by  representatives  of  the  Mohawks,  Onondagas 
Senecas,  Oneidas,  Cayugas  and  Tuscaroras.  The  treaty  was  pro- 
claimed by  the  United  States  Oct.  22,  1784. 


46  DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Camp  near  Fort  Pitt,  on  the  Indian  Shore,  the  Western 
side  or  the  Alleghany  River1,  December  6th,  1784. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  your  Excellency  and 
the  Honorable  Council  of  the  arrival  of  the  first  detach- 
ment of  Pennsylvania  troops,  composed  of  Captain 
[Thomas]  Douglass'  company  of  artillery  and  Captain 
[Walter]  Finney's  company  of  infantry,  at  this  place  on 
the  18th  of  October,  last.  The  second  detachment  com- 
posed of  Captain  [David]  Ziegler's  and  Captain  [William] 
McCurdy's  companies  of  infantry  arrived  here  on  the  29th 
of  the  same  month. 

We  have  remained  in  this  position  till  this  day,  in 
hourly  expectation  of  the  Commissioners9;  they  are  just 


1  Now  the  site  of  Allegheny  City,  Pennsylvania. 

1  The  date  of  the  arrival  of  the  United  States  Commissioners  at 
Fort  Pitt,  will  be  seen  by  the  following  : 

"Next  day  [Dec.  2,  1784],  we  [Arthur  Lee  and  Richard  Butler, 
Commissioners  of  the  United  States  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians] 
proceeded  six  miles  to  Fort  Pitt,  where  we  found  Gen.  [George 
Rogers]  Clark  [another  of  the  Commissioners]. 

"  Dec.  3d  [1784].  The  Commissioners  met  and  received  from  Mr. 
[Alexander]  Lowrey  answers  from  their  messages,  with  strings  of 
wampum,  from  the  Delawares,  Shawanese,  Wyandots,  and  Twight- 
wees  [Miamis],  declaring  their  readiness  to  meet  at  Cuyahoga.  At 
the  same  time,  two  traders  had  arrived  from  thence  directly  and 
brought  a  message  from  several  chiefs  assembled  there,  dated  Nov. 
26th,  informing  the  Commissioners  that  they  had  attended,  at  Cuya- 


DICKINSON-EARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  47 

arrived,  and,  upon  a  consultation,  considering  the  advanced 
season  of  the  year,  the  difficulty  of  supplies,  expense  of 
transportation,  etc.,  to  Cuyahoga,  they  have  resolved  to 
hold  the  treaty  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  thirty  miles  distant  from 
Fort  Pitt,  down  the  Ohio  river.  In  consequence  of  their  re- 
solve, the  troops  marched  this  morning  from  this  encamp- 
ment for  Fort  Mcintosh ;  the  tents,  baggage,  etc.,  are  to 
go  by  water.  Mr.  Alexander  Lowrey,  messenger  to  the 
Commissioners,  was  dispatched  this  day  to  Cuyahoga, 
with  an  invitation  to  the  Indians  to  assemble  at  Fort 
Mcintosh.  The  fort  is  in  very  bad  order  and  will  require 
considerable  repairs  before  the  troops  can  have  comfort- 
able winter  quarters.1 


hoga  from  the  20th  ;  had  brought  with  them  their  wives  and 
children;  and  had  nothing  to  eat.  These  traders  said  there  might 
be  near  six  hundred  at  or  near  Cuyahoga." 

— Extracts  from  the  Journal  of  Arthur  Lee. 

1  Ebenezer  Denny,  in  his  Journal,  says  : — 

"  Marched  [in  going  with  the  Pennsylvania  troops  from  their  en- 
campment on  '  Western  Heights  of  Schuylkill ']  through  Lancaster 
by  Carlisle,  etc.,  to  Pittsburgh.  Waited  for  the  arrival  of  [the 
United  States]  Commissioners  appointed  to  hold  a  treaty  with  the 
Indians.  Treaty  expected  to  be  holden  at  Cuyahoga.  Commis- 
sioners late  getting  out;  season  advanced;  plan  changed;  and 
Indians  invited  to  attend  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  about  thirty  miles 
below  Fort  Pitt,  on  bank  of  Ohio;  to  which  place  we  repaired  and 
found  exceeding  good  quarters." 

Fort  Mcintosh  was  built  by  General  Lachlan  Mcintosh,  in  1778. 
It  was  "  a  regular  stockaded  work,  with  four  bastions,  and  de- 
fended by  six  pieces  of  artillery."  It  was  built  of  hewn  logs;  its 
figure  was  an  irregular  square. 


48  DICK1XS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Inclosed,  your  Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council 
will  be  pleased  to  receive  a  Return  of  the  Pennsylvania 
troops,  likewise  a  list  of  all  deserters,  with  their  descrip- 
tions, since  the  corps  was  raised.  Lieut.  Herbert  I  have 
ordered  suspended  in  his  command  and  have  written  this 
day  to  the  Secretary  in  the  war  office  for  orders  in  his 
case,  as  a  general  court  martial  cannot  be  convened  for 
his  trial.  The  list  of  deserters  is  indeed  very  considerable 
owing  to  the  extreme  hurry  in  raising  the  corps.  I  ap- 
prehend the  chief  part  of  these  villains  must  be  lurking 
about  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  as  most  all  of  them  had 
attachments  there.  I  have  suggested  to  the  Secretary  in 
the  war  office,  that  perhaps  it  might  be  advisable  to  ad- 
vertise and  offer  pardon  to  them  provided  they  delivered 
themselves  up  in  a  limited  time.  Your  Excellency  will 
please  to  observe  that  my  total  [number  of  men]  at 
present  is  only  two  hundred  and  thirty-one,  including 
non-commissioned  officers  and  music,  consequently 
twenty-nine  are  wanting  to  complete  [the  corps].  My 
sole  dependance  is  upon  apprehending  the  deserters,  in 
order  to  have  my  complement  of  men.1 


1  The  regular  monthly  Return  of  Col.  Harraar  was  dated  Decem- 
ber 1,  1784,  but  his  relation  above  is  so  full  that  it  is  thought  un- 
necessary to  give  its  contents  in  this  connection.  It  may  be  proper 
to  say,  however,  that  Ensign  Armstrong  was  reported  as  sick  and 
absent  in  Philadelphia;  and  that  no  chaplain  had  as  yet  been  ap- 
pointed for  the  corps.  Three  of  the  men  reported  sick  and  absent 
were  left  on  the  march  from  Philadelphia  to  Fort  Pitt.  One  who 
was  reported  as  on  extra  service  was  detailed  as  waiter  to  Richard 
Butler,  one  of  the  Continental  Commissioners.  The  whole  number 
of  deserters  from  the  four  companies  since  the  enlistments  began 
was  sixty. 


DICK1NS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  49 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  JOURNAL  OF  ARTHUR  LEE, 
DEC,  1784. 

On  the  10th  of  December  [1784],  we  attempted  a 
jaunt  up  the  Alleghany  river  in  a  bo.it ;  but  when  we  had 
rowed  about  six  miles  against  its  current,  which  is  exceed- 
ingly strong,  a  violent  snow-storm  sent  us  back.  Some  of 
us  landed  on  the  north  side  and  hunted  along  the  river, 
but  found  no  game.  The  land  upon  the  river  is  exceedingly 
rich  but  narrow,  the  high  lands  being  within  two  or  three 
hundred  yards  of  the  banks.  And  indeed  this  strip  of 
rich  bottom,  producing  black  walnut,  locust  and  sugar- 
maple  in  abundance,  seems  to  have  been  made  by  the 
gradual  incroachment  of  the  river  on  the  southern  bank 
and  consequent  recess  from  its  northern  bed. 

About  five  miles  up,  you  come  to  what  is  called  Guy- 
asutha's  Bottom,  from  having  been  formerly  the  residence 
of  an  Indian  chief  of  that  name.  He  has  removed  to  the 
Seneca  country  near  the  Niagara.  This  Guyasutha  was  a 
very  provident  Indian,  not  only  in  fixing  his  seat  in  this 
most  fertile  valley  but  in  having  two  wives  (I  mean  as  a 
savage);  one  well  stricken  in  years  who  paid  great  atten- 
tion to  his  food  and  his  clothes,  the  other  a  handsome 
young  squaw.  .  .  .  Guyasutha's  Bottom  is  a  rich 
and  beautiful  spot.  We  saw  wild  hops  growing  there  in 
the  utmost  luxuriance  and  of  a  fine  flavor. 

11th  [Dec,  1784].  We  received  an  Indian  express  from 
Mr.  [Alexander]  Lowrey,  dated  at  Cuyahoga,  and  inform- 
ing us  that  the  Indians   had  come  as  far  as    Cuscuskis1 


1  Sometimes  written  Kaskaskunk;  a  Delaware  Indian  village  orig- 
inally  at  the  junction  of   the  Shenango  and  Mahoning  rivers,  in 

7 


50  D1CK1NSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

within  thirty  miles  of  [Fort]  Mcintosh,  but  that  they 
were  unwilling  to  come  further  because  of  their  wives 
and  children.     .     .     . 

17th  [Dec,  1784].  We  embarked  on  the  Monongahela 
and  soon  entered  the  Ohio  on  our  way  to  Fort  Mcintosh. 
The  Ohio  is  a  continuation  of  the  Monongahela  and  the 
Alleghany.  They  enter  it  at  right  angles.  This  appears 
plainly  when  you  have  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Alle- 
ghany. Upon  looking  back,  you  see  at  some  distance, 
directly  up  the  Monongahela,  but  the  point  of  the  two 
banks  only,  that  form  the  mouth  of  the  Alleghany,  is 
visible,  none  of  its  water.  Yet  it  has  often  been  said  that 
the  Ohio  was  a  continuation  of  the  Alleghany. 

On  the  19th  [of  December,  1784],  Mr.  [Alexander] 
Lowrey  came  in,  with  John  Montour  and  another  Indian, 
who  gave  us  reason  to  expect  the  Indians  [from  Cuscuskis 
to  the  treaty]  in  a  few  days.  Reflecting  on  what  would 
be  the  best  method  to  secure  the  country  we  obtain  from 
the  Indians,  from  being  surveyed  by  the  swarms  of 
irregular  settlers,  it  seemed  to  me  that  this  purpose  would 
be  answered,  by  inserting  in  the  treaty  an  article  in  these 
words :  "  If  any  person  shall  attempt  to  survey  or  settle 
on  any  of  the  said  lands,  until  the  Commissioners  shall 
have  informed  the  Indians  that  permission  is  given  by 
Congress  to  such  surveyors  or  settlements,  such  persons 
shall  be  out  of  the  protection  of  the  United  States  and  the 
Indians  may  drive  them  away."  This  prohibition  being 
made  public   in  a   proclamation  by   the  Commissioners, 


what  is  now  Lawrence  county,  Pennsylvania;  afterward  moved  to 
the  present  New  Castle,  same  county. 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  51 

would  deter  persons  from  attempting  settlements,  till  Con- 
gress shall  have  formed  such  regulations  as  will,  at  the 
same  time,  secure  a  reasonable  profit  to  the  public  and 
settle  the  country  systematically  and  fully.  For  these 
purposes,  I  shall  propose  this  article  to  my  colleagues 
[George  Rogers  Clark  and  Richard  Butler].     .     .     . 

22d  [of  Dec,  1784].  We  dispatched  a  person  to  Cus- 
cuskis  with  some  rum,  lead  and  twenty-five  pounds  of 
powder,  for  the  Indians.  I  had  my  doubts  about  the 
propriety  of  sending  them  so  much  powder;  for  there  are 
about  twenty -five  hundred  charges  for  a  rifle  in  that 
quantity. 

24th  [of  Dec,  1784].  Mr.  Lowrey  informed  us  that  the 
western  Indians  were  both  discontented  and  angry  with 
the  Six  Nations,  for  having  made  a  treaty  with  us  with- 
out consulting  them.  This  was  the  object  of  the  general 
confederation  which  they  mentioned  at  Fort  Stanwix ; 
and  these  Indians  charge  the  Six  Nations  with  a  breach 
of  faith,  plighted  in  this  confederacy.  It  is  certain  this 
was  the  wish  of  the  Six  Nations  and  the  intent  of  their 
speech  ;  but  the  decided  language  we  held  obliged  them 
to  an  immediate  determination,  which  bids  fair  to  pros- 
trate their  confederation  and  its  diabolical  objects.    . 

25th  [of  December,  1784].  Mr.  Evans,  agent,  and  the 
Pennsylvania  Commissioners  [Samuel  J.  Atlee,  Francis 
Johnson  and  Alexander  Campbell]  arrived.  The  boat  in 
which  they  embarked  with  stores,  having  run  aground, 
and  being  nearly  overwhelmed  with  ice,  they  and  the 
crew, — almost  frozen  to  death  before  the  ice  became  hard 
enough  to  bear  them, — got  on  shore,  landed  the  goods  and 
brought  them  forward  on  pack-horses.     .     .    . 


52  D1CKINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

27th  [Dec,  1784].  Mr.  [John]  Boggs,  another  of  our 
Indian  messengers,  arrived  [at  Fort  Mcintosh]  and  re- 
ported the  Indians  were  on  their  way,  and  that  some  of 
them  would  be  in  the  next  day. 

28th  [Dec,  1784].  Several  Indians  arrived  [at  Fort 
Mcintosh].  Orders  were  issued  by  the  Commissioners 
against  selling  or  giving  them  rum.  Mr.  Boggs  was 
directed  to  make  a  Return,  day  by  day,  of  the  number 
present  from  the  different  tribes,  to  Mr.  Lowrey,  who  was 
directed  to  order  them  provisions,  agreeably  to  that  Re- 
turn. This  was  done  not  only  that  they  might  be  duly 
supplied  with  provisions,  but  that  we  might  have  a  check 
upon  the  commissary.    .    .    . 

29th  [Dec,  1784].  Some  chiefs  of  the  Chippewas  and 
Ottawas  only  have  arrived.  They  came  this  morning  re- 
questing some  spirits,  two  kettles,  a  tent,  a  blanket  for  an 
old  man,  some  powder  and  lead  for  their  young  men  to 
hunt  with,  and  some  paint.  The  Commissioners  ordered 
them  some  spirits,  a  blanket,  the  kettles,  paint  and  am- 
munition. The  tent  was  refused  because  every .  tribe 
would  have  expected  the  same  ;  and  as  they  never  return 
what  they  once  get  into  their  hands,  it  would  be  too  ex- 
pensive.   .    .    . 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  January  15,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  had  the  honor  of  addressing  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council  on  the  5th  ultimo,  inclosing  a 
Return  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the 


DICEIN80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  53 

United  States  dated  on  the  first  of  December  last.  In- 
closed, your  Excellency  will  be  pleased  to  receive  another 
monthly  Return1  of  the  troops  dated  the  1st  instant. 
The  whole  corps  have  been  on  constant  fatigue  since 
their  arrival  here,  in  repairing  the  fort  and  fitting  up 
rooms,  stores,  etc.,  for  accommodating  the  Continental 
and  State  Commissioners,  which  [labor]  has  injured  the 
clothing  [of  the  men]  much. 

A  few  days  since,  the  treaty  commenced,  and  I  believe 
will  be  satisfactorily  concluded  against  the  latter  end  of  this 
month,  although  the  chiefs  of  the  Wyandots,  Chippewas, 
Delawares,  and  Ottawas,  which  are  the  nations  that  are 
assembled  here,  in  a  speech  they  delivered  at  the  council- 
fire  yesterday,  held  out  an  idea  to  the  Continental  Com- 
missioners that  they  still  looked  upon  the  lands  which  the 
United  States  held  by  the  treaty  with  Great  Britain  as  their 
own;  but  the  Commissioners  have  answered  them  in  a 
high  tone,  the  purport  of  which  was,  that,  as  they  had 
adhered  during  the  war  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain,  they 
were  considered  by  us  as  a  conquered  people  and  had  there- 
fore nothing  to  expect  from  the  United  States,  but  must 
depend  altogether  upon  their  lenity  and  generosity.  This 
spirited  answer,  it  is  supposed,  will  have  the  desired 
effect. 


1  In  liis  Return,  Col.  Harraar  says  that  four  of  his  men  are  on 
extra  service  as  waiters  to  the  Continental  Commissioners  ;  that  one 
man  had  deserted  and  tw<5  joined  since  his  last  Report;  that  Ensign 
Denny  acted  as  adjutant  pro  tern.;  that  Nathan  McDowell  having 
received  the  appointment  of  ensign  had  joined  his  command  ;  that 
one  sergeant  of  the  artillery  had  been  reduced  to  a  matross  ;  and 
that  his  total  number  of  men  present  was  two  hundred  and 
thirty-two. 


54  B1CKINS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

The  State  p.  e.,  the  Pennsylvania]  Commissioners,  I 
believe,  will  not  have  the  least  difficulty  in  transacting 
their  business,  which  lays  with  the  Wyandot  and  Dela- 
ware najtions. 


TREATY  AT  FORT  McINTOSH,  JANUARY,  1785. 

Articles  of  a  treaty  concluded  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  the 
twenty-first  day  of  January,  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  eighty-five,  between  the  Commissioners  plenipoten- 
tiary of  the  United  States  of  America,  of  the  one  part, 
and  the  sachems  and  warriors  of  the  Wyandot,  Delaware, 
Chippewa,  and  Ottawa  nations,  of  the  other. 

The  Commissioners  plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States 
in  Congress  assembled,  give  peace  to  the  Wyandot,  Dela- 
ware, Chippewa  and  Ottawa  nations  of  Indians,  on  the 
following  conditions : 

Art.  I.  Three  chiefs,  one  from  among  the  Wyandot 
and  two  from  among  the  Delaware  nations,  shall  be 
delivered  up  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  States, 
to  be  by  them  retained  till  all  the  prisoners,  white  and 
black,  taken  by  the  said  Indians,  or  any  of  them,  shall  be 
restored. 

Art.  2.  The  said  Indian  nations  do  acknowledge  them- 
selves and  all  their  tribes  to  be  under  the  protection  of 
the  United  States,  and  of  no  other  sovereign  whatsoever. 

Art.  3.  The  boundary  line  between  the  United  States 
and  the  Wyandot  and  Delaware  nations,  shall  begin  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Cuyahoga1  and  run  thence  up  the 

1  Now  the  site  of  the  City  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  55 

said  river  to  the  portage  between  that  and  the  Tuscarawas 
branch  of  Muskingum1;  then  down  the  said  branch  to  the 
forks  at  the  crossing  place  above  Fort  Laurens2;  then 
westerly  to  the  portage  of  the  Big  Miami  which  runs  into 
the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth  of  which  branch  the  fort  stood 
which  was  taken  by  the  French  in  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty-two ;  then  along  the  said  portage  to 
the  Great  Miami,  or  Ome  river3,  and  down  the  southeast 
side  of  the  same  to  its  mouth ;  thence  along  the  south 
shore  of  Lake  Erie,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga,  where 
it  began. 

Art.  4.  The  United  States  allot  all  the  lands  contained 
within  the  said  lines  to  the  Wyandot  and  Delaware 
nations,  to  live  and  to  hunt  on,  and  to  such  of  the  Ottawa 


1  At  the  date  of  the  treaty,  the  river  was  known  as  the  Mus- 
kingum as  far  up  as  the  mouth  of  Sandy  creek  ;  all  above  that  was 
called  the  Tuscarawas,  or  "the  Tuscarawas  branch  of  the  Mus- 
kingum," as  in  the  treaty.  But  the  stream  is  now  called  Tuscarawas 
as  far  down  as  the  mouth  of  the  Walhonding,  or  White  Woman. 

8  Fort  Laurens  was  built  during  the  Revolution  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Tuscarawas  (then  called  Muskingum),  just  below  the 
mouth  of  Sandy  creek.  The  "  Tuscarawas  branch  of  the  Mus- 
kingum "  and  the  Sandy  creek  formed  the  "  forks,"  just  above  which 
was  the  "  crossing"  of  the  "Tuscarawas  branch." 

3  There  were,  at  that  date,  two  rivers,  each  of  which  was  known 
as  the  "  Big  Miami — "  the  one  now  known  as  the  "  Great  Miami " 
and  the  other  as  the  "  Maumee  ;"  the  first  flowing  into  the  Ohio, 
the  last  mentioned  into  Lake  Erie.  The  fort  spoken  of  was  Fort 
Loramie.  It  stood  at  the  mouth  of  Loramie's  creek,  which  was  the 
"  branch  "  of  the  "  Big  Miami,"  mentioned  in  the  treaty.  There 
was  a  portage  north,  from  Fort  Loramie,  to  the  waters  of  the  "  Great 
Miami,  or  Ome  river;"  that  is,  to  what  is  now  called  the  "Maumee.'* 


56  DICKIN80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

nation  as  now  live  thereon,  saving  and  reserving  for  the 
establishment  of  trading  posts,  six  miles  square  at  the 
mouth  of  Miami,  or  Ome  river,  and  the  same  at  the 
portage  on  that  branch  of  the  Big  Miami  which  runs  into 
the  Ohio,  and  the  same  on  the  Lake  of  Sandusky1  where 
the  fort  formerly  stood2,  and  also  two  miles  square  on  each 
side  of  the  lower  rapids  of  Sandusky  river, — which  posts 
and  the  lands  annexed  to  them,  shall  be  to  the  use  and 
under  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

Art.  5.  If  any  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or  other 
person  not  being  an  Indian,  shall  attempt  to  settle  on  any 
of  the  lands  allotted  to  the  Wyandot  and  Delaware 
nations  in  this  treaty,  except  on  the  lands  reserved  to  the 
United  States  in  the  preceding  article,  such  person  shall 
forfeit  the  protection  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
Indians  may  punish  him  as  they  please. 

Art.  6.  The  Indians  who  sign  this  treaty,  as  well  in 
behalf  of  all  their  tribes  as  of  themselves,  do  acknowledge 
the  lands  east,  south  and  west,  of  the  lines  described  in 
the  third  article,  so  far  as  the  said  Indians  formerly 
claimed  the  same,  to  belong  to  the  United  States ;  and 
none  of  their  tribes  shall  presume  to  settle  upon  the  same 
or  any  part  of  it. 

Art.  7.  The  post  of  Detroit,  with  a  district  beginning 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Rosine  [now  Raisin],  on  the 
west  end  of  Lake  Erie,  and  running  west  six  miles  up  the 


1  Now  known  as  Sandusky  Bay. 

*  The  same  Fort  Sandusky  that  was  captured  by  the  Wyandots 
in  Pontiac's  war. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  57 

southern  bank  of  the  said  river,  thence  northerly  and 
always  six  miles  west  of  the  strait  till  it  strikes  the  Lake 
St.  Clair,  shall  be  also  reserved  to  the  sole  use  of  the 
United  States. 

Art.  8.  In  the  same  manner,  the  post  of  Michilimack- 
inac  with  its  dependencies  and  twelve  miles  square  about 
the  same,  shall  be  reserved  to  the  use  of  the  United 
States.1 

Art.  9.  If  any  Indian  or  Indians  shall  commit  a  rob- 
bery or  murder  on  any  citizen  of  the  United  States,  the 
tribe  to  which  such  offenders  may  belong,  shall  be  bound 
to  deliver  them  up  at  the  nearest  post,  to  be  punished 
according  to  the  ordinances  of  the  United  States. 

Art.  10.  The  Commissioners  of  the  United  States  in 
pursuance  of  the  humane  and  liberal  views  of  Congress, 
upon  this  treaty's  being  signed,  will  direct  goods  to  be 
distributed  among  the  different  tribes  for  their  use  and 
comfort. 


HARMARTO   DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  February  8,  1785. 
Sir : — I  had  the  honor  of  addressing  your  Excellency 
and  the   Honorable   Council  on  the  15th  ult.,  inclosing  a 
Return  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the 


1  But  this  post  and  Detroit  were  still  held  by  the   British,   and 
were  not  given  up  to  the  United  States  until  1796. 
8 


58  DICKINSONHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

United  States,  dated  the  1st  ultimo.  Inclosed,  your  Ex- 
cellency will  be  pleased  to  receive  another  monthly 
Return  of  the  troops,  dated  the  first  instant.1  The  Hon- 
orable the  State  Commissioners,  Colonel  [Samuel  J.]  Atlee 
and  Colonel  [Francis]  Johnson,  by  this  time,  I  imagine, 
must  have  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  by  whom  your  Excel- 
lency and  the  Honorable  Council  will  hear  of  the  satisfac- 
tory conclusion  of  the  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  this 
post. 

This  garrison  is  at  length,  by  hard  fatigue  of  the  troops, 
put  in  tolerable  good  order.  I  beg  leave  to  observe  to 
your  Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council  that  unless 
some  person  is  directed  to  remain  here  that  immediately 
upon  my  marching  hence,  it  will  be  demolished  by  the 
emigrators  to  Kentucky.  Previous  to  our  arrival,  they  had 
destroyed  the  gates,  drawn  all  the  nails  from  the  roofs, 
taken  off  all  the  boards,  and  plundered  it  of  every  article. 
I  would  therefore  recommend  for  the  benefit  of  the  state 
to  your  Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council,  to  adopt 
some  mode  for  its  preservation  ;  otherwise,  immediately 
upon  our  leaving  it,  it  will  again  go  to  ruin.2 


1  This  Return  is  so  nearly  like  the  previous  one  that  it  is  omitted 
in  this  connection.  Two  privates  had  died  and  there  were  twenty- 
two  sick,  of  the  infantry. 

2  "  [In  Council],  Philadelphia,  Wednesday,  April  27,  1785. 

"On  consideration,  ordered  that  General  [John]  Neville  be 
authorized  upon  his  return  to  Washington  county  [Pa.],  to  place 
some  fit  person  in  the  possession  of  the  buildings  at  Fort  Mcintosh, 
with  directions  to  keep  them,  and  the  public  timber  upon  the  ad- 
joining lands,  in  a  state  of  as  much  preservation  as  possible." 


D1CK1NS0N-HABMAB  COBBESPONDENCE.  59 

HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  April  2,  1785. 
Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  to  your  Excellency 
and   the   Honorable  Council,    a   monthly    Return  of  the 
Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
dated  the  first  instant.1 


THOMSON2  TO  DICKINSON, 

Secretary's  Office,  April  12,  1785. 
Sir : — I  have  the  honor  of  transmitting  you  the  in- 
closed acts  [of  Congress]  of  the  1st,  7th  and  12th  instant, 
relative  to  raising  a  body  of  troops  for  the  protection  of 
the  northwestern  frontiers,  the  defence  of  the  inhabitants 
against  the  depredations  of  the  Indians,  for  preventing 
unwarrantable  intrusions  on  lands  belonging  to  the. 
United  States,  and  to  guard  the  public  stores.3 


1  This  Return  is  much  like  the  preceding  one.  Col.  Harmar  how- 
ever, says  :  "  Ensign  Armstrong,  Ensign  McDowell,  one  sergeant 
and  one  corporal,  with  twenty  privates,  are  on  command  down  the 
Ohio  river,  about  eighty  miles  hence,  with  orders  to  drive  off  sundry 
persons  who  have  presumed  to  settle  on  the  lands  of  the  United 
States,  contrary  to  the  orders  of  Congress."  One  private,  he  con- 
tinues, had  deserted  since  his  last  Return. 

2  Charles  Thomson,  Secretary  of  Congress. 

3  The  reader  will  not  fail  to  observe  the  additional  objects  in  view 
in  raising  troops  as  expressed  by  these  several  acts  of  Congress  to 
the  ones  indicated  by  the  Resolutions  of  June  3,  1784, — which 
were  only  for  the  "taking  possession  of  the  western  posts,  as  soon 


60  D1CK1NSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

As  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled  have  been 
pleased  by  a  late  ordinance,  of  which  I  enclose  a  copy,  to 
make  it  a  part  of  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  of  Congress 
"  to  transmit  to  the  several  states  all  acts,  ordinances, 
resolutions  and  recommendations  of  Congress,  and  to  cor- 
respond with  the  states  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  com- 
munications from  them  relative  to  the  execution  of  the 
same,"  I  have  embraced  the  earliest  opportunity  of  for- 
warding the  inclosed  acts  and  trust  your  Excellency  will 
favor  me  with  an  account  of  the  steps  taken  by  your  state 
for  raising  the  quota  assigned,  that  I  may  make  report 
thereof  conformably  to  the  said  ordinance. 

The  honor,  peace,  and  prosperity  of  our  nation  being 
objects  very  near  my  heart,  nothing  will  give  me  greater 
pleasure  than  frequent  opportunities  of  reporting  to  Con- 
gress the  earnest  and  united  endeavors  of  the  several 
states  to  promote  those  great  and  desirable  ends. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  May  1,  1785. 
Sir : — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  to  your  Excellency 
and   the  Honorable   Council,  a  monthly   Return  of  the 


as  evacuated  by  the  troops  of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  northwestern  frontiers,  and  for  guarding  the  public 
stores."  (See  p.  29,  note  1.)  No  mention  is  now  made  of  the 
western  posts;  and  the  important  objects  are  added, — "the  defence 
of  the  inhabitants  against  the  depredations  of  the  Indians "  and 
"  preventing  unwarrantable  intrusions  [by  white  people]  on  lands 
belonging  to  the  United.States  [northwest  of  the  Ohio  river]." 


D1CK1NS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  §\ 

Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
dated  this  day.1 

If  your  Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council  should 
be  of  opinion  that  it  is  necessary  to  appoint  some  per- 
son for  the  preservation  of  this  fort,  upon  the  troops 
marching  hence,  and  have  not  already  nominated  one  for 
that  purpose,  I  beg  leave  to  recommend  Mr.  David  Dun- 
can, of  Pittsburgh,  as  a  suitable  person,  and  one  who  is 
desirous  of  taking  charge  of  it. 

Understanding  that  several  vagabonds  had  presumed 
to  improve  the  lands  betwixt  this  and  Fort  Pitt,  which 
have  been  appropriated  by  the  Honorable,  the  Legislature 
of  the  state,  for  the  redemption  of  the  depreciation  certi- 
ficates, and  apprehending  that  a  removal  of  them  would 
meet  your  Excellency's  and  the  Honorable  Council's  ap- 
probation (although  not  in  the  line  of  my  duty  as  a  Conti- 
nental officer),  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  detach  an 
officer  with  a  small  part^,  who  has  destroyed  their  cabins 
and  driven  them  from  their  improvements. 


HARMAR  TO  [RICHARD  HENRY  LEE],  THE  PRESIDENT 
OF  CONGRESS. 

Fort  McIntosh,  May  1,  1785. 
Sir : — In  obedience  to  the  Instructions  received  from 
the  Honorable  the  Commissioners  for  Indian  Affairs,  upon 

1  Col.  Harmar's  force,  by  this  Return,  was  nearly  the  same  as  at 
his  last.  Captain  Finney,  Lieutenant  Beatty,  and  Surgeon  McDowell, 
were  on  furlough.  One  corporal  of  artillery  was  reported  as  having 
died  within  the  month  preceding. 


62  D1CEIN80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

their  departure  from  this  post,  I  have  to  inform  your 
Excellency  that  I  detached  Ensign  Armstrong,  with  a 
party  of  twenty  men,  furnished  with  fifteen  days'  pro- 
visions, on  the  31st  of  March  last,  to  disposses  sundry 
persons  who  had  presumed  to  settle  on  the  lands  of  the 
United  States  on  the  western  side  of  the  Ohio  river.  The 
inclosed  copy  of  the  Instructions,  together  with  the  orders, 
were  posted  up  at  Wheeling,  and  distributed  throughout 
the  differents  parts  of  the  country,  in  order  that  all  per- 
sons might  be  made  fully  acquainted  therewith. 

Ensign  Armstrong  having  marched  with  his  party  as 
far  down  as  opposite  Wheeling,  which  is  about  seventy 
miles  hence,  pursuing  the  course  of  the  river,  and  having 
executed  his  orders  (excepting  a  few  indulgences  granted 
on  account  of  the  weather),  returned  on  the  12th  ultimo. 
I  have  the  honor  of  inclosing  to  your  Excellency  his 
Report,  with  sundry  petitions,  handed  him  by  the  settlers ; 
likewise  the  opinion  of  some  reputable  inhabitants  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  river,  with  respect  to  them.1 


1  It  will  be  remembered  that,  in  the  letter  of  the  Secretary  of 
Congress — Charles  Thomson — to  Dickinson,  dated  April  12th,  1785, 
he  says  an  act  had  been  passed  for  raising  a  body  of  troops,  the 
object  being,  among  other  things,  to  prevent  unwarrantable  intru- 
sion on  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States.  The  attention  of 
Congress  was  early  called  to  the  fact  that  a  considerable  emigra- 
tion was  going  on  across  the  Ohio  and  that  settlers  were  claiming 
lands  belonging  to  the  United  States. 

Congress  afterward  took  action  in  the  matter,  issuing  a  proclama- 
tion prohibiting  and  forbidding  "  all  persons  from  making  settle- 
ments on  lands  inhabited  or  claimed  by  Indians,  without  the  limits 
or  jurisdiction  of  any  particular  state."  The  following  was  the 
text  : 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  63 

On  the  20th  ultimo,  I  received  the  inclosed  Representa- 
tion, signed  by  sixty-six  of  them,  praying  for  a  further 
indulgence  of  time,  and  informing  me  that  they  had  sent 


"  By  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled.     A  proclamation. 

u  Whereas,  by  the  ninth  of  the  articles  of  confederation,  it  is 
among  other  things  declared,  that  c  the  United  States  in  Congress 
assembled  have  the  sole  and  exclusive  right  and  power  of  regulating 
the  trade,  and  managing  all  affairs  with  the  Indians  not  members 
of  any  of  the  states  ;  provided,  that  the  legislative  right  of  any 
state  within  its  own  limits  be  not  infringed  or  violated.'  And 
whereas,  it  is  essential  to  the  welfare  and  interest  of  the  United 
States,  as  well  as  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  harmony  and 
friendship  with  the  Indians,  not  members  of  any  of  the  states,  that 
all  cause  of  quarrel  and  complaint  between  them  and  the  United 
States,  or  any  of  them,  should  be  removed  and  prevented  ;  therefore 
the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  have  thought  proper  to 
issue  their  proclamation,  aud  they  do  hereby  prohibit  and  forbid  all 
persons  from  making  settlements  on  lands  inhabited  or  claimed  by 
Indians  without  the  limits  or  jurisdiction  of  any  particular  state, 
and  from  purchasing  or  receiving  any  gift  or  cession  of  such  lands 
or  claims,  without  the  express  authority  and  directions  of  the  United 
States  in  Congress  assembled;  and  it  is  moreover  declared,  that 
evei-y  such  purchase  or  settlement,  gift  or  cession,  not  having  the 
authority  aforesaid,  is  null  and  void,  and  that  no  right  or  title  will 
accrue  in  consequence. 

"Done  in  Congress,  at  Princeton,  this  twenty-second  day  of 
September,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  eighty-three,  and  of  our  sovereignty  and  independence  the 
eighth. 

"Elias  Boudinot,  President. 

"  Charles  Thomson,  Secretary." 

No  attention  whatever  was  paid  to  this  proclamation.  The  con- 
sequence was  that  the  settlements  increased  continually — so  rapidly 
indeed,  that  in  less  than  two  years  the  United  States  found  it  neces- 


64  D1CKINS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

on  a  petition  to  Congress  on  the  subject.  In  answer  to 
which,  I  thought  it  most  expedient  to  grant  them  one 
month  from  the  21st  ultimo  to  remove  themselves,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time  parties  will  be  detached  to  drive 


sary  to  drive  off  the  settlers  by  force.  To  that  end,  the  Commis- 
sioners of  Indian  Affairs,  on  the  24th  of  January,  1785,  instructed 
Lieut.  Col.  Josiah  Harmar,  of  the  "  First  American  Regiment,"  to 
employ  such  force  as  he  might  judge  necessary  "in  driving  off  per- 
sons attempting  to  settle  on  the  lands  of  the  United  States."  In 
obedience  to  these  instructions,  that  officer  detached  Ensign  John 
Armstrong  with  a  party  of  twenty  men  furnished  with  fifteen  days' 
provisions  to  perform  the  task.  The  result  is  given  in  the  above 
letter  from  Col.  Harmar  to  the  President  of  Congress. 

The  report  of  Ensign  Armstrong  was,  in  substance,  that  he 
marched  down  the  Ohio,  March  31st;  crossed  the  Little  Beaver  on 
the  1st  of  April;  dispossessed  one  family  at  that  place;  other 
families  at  Yellow  Creek,  at  Mingo  Bottom,  or  Old  Town,  at  Nor- 
ris's  Town,  at  Haglin's,  or  Mercer's  Town,  and  at  a  place  opposite 
Wheeling;  that  he  arrested  a  man  named  Ross,  who  seemed  to  be 
obstreperous,  and  sent  him  to  Wheeling  in  irons;  that  he  was 
threatened  by  a  man  named  Charles  Norris,  with  a  party  of  armed 
men,  but  upon  showing  his  authority  there  was  no  further  offensive 
demonstration;  and  that  at  Mercer's  Town  he  had  learned  that 
Charles  Norris  and  John  Carpenter  had  been  elected  justices  of  the 
peace  and  had  acted  as  such. 

The  "  opinion  of  some  reputable  inhabitants  "  was  thus  explained 
by  Ensign  Armstrong  to  his  colonel : 

"  As  the  following  information  through  you  to  the  Honorable  the 
Congress,  may  be  of  some  service,  I  trust  you  will  not  be  displeased 
therewith.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many  sensible  men  (with  whom  I 
conversed  on  my  return  from  Wheeling)  that  if  the  Honorable  the 
Congress  do  not  fall  on  some  speedy  method  to  prevent  people  from 
settling  on  the  lands  of  the  United  States  west  of  the  Ohio,  that 
country  will  soon  be  inhabited  by  a  banditti,  whose  actions  are  a 
disgrace  to  human  nature. 


DICKINSONHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  Q§ 

off  all  settlers  within  the  distance  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  from  this  garrison,  which,  in  my  present  situa- 
tion, is  all  that  is  practicable.  The  number  of  settlers 
farther  down  the  river  is  very  considerable,  and,  from  all 


"  You  will  in  a  few  days  receive  an  address  from  the  magistracy 
of  Ohio  county  [Virginia],  through  which  most  of  those  people  pass, 
many  of  whom  are  flying  from  justice.  I  have,  sir,  taken  some  pains 
to  distribute  copies  of  your  Instructions,  with  those  from  the  Hon- 
orable the  Commissioners  for  Indian  Affairs,  into  almost  every  settle- 
ment west  of  the  Ohio  and  had  them  posted  up  at  most  public  places 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  in  the  neighborhood  through  which 
those  people  pass.  Notwithstanding  they  have  seen  and  read  those 
Instructions,  they  are  moving  to  the  unsettled  countries  by  forties 
and  fifties.  From  the  best  information  I  could  receive,  there  are  at 
the  falls  of  the  Hockhocking  upwards  of  three  hundred  families;  #t 
the  Muskingum,  a  number  equal. 

"At  Moravian  Town  there  are  several  families  and  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  on  the  rivers  Miami  and  Scioto.  From  Wheeling 
to  that  place,  there  is  scarcely  one  bottom  on  the  river  but  has  one 
or  more  families  living  thereon.  In  consequence  of  the  advertise- 
ment by  John  Emerson,  I  am  assured  meetings  will  be  held  at  the 
times  therein  mentioned.  That  at  Menzon's,  or  Haglin's  town,  men- 
tioned in  my  report  of  yesterday,  the  inhabitants  had  come  to  a 
resolution  to  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  the  advertisement." 

The  following  is  "  the  advertisement  "  alluded  to  : 

"  ADVERTISEMENT. 

"March  12,  1785. 

"  Notice  is  hereby  given  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  west  side  of  the 
Ohio  river  that  there  is  to  be  an  election  for  the  choosing  of  mem- 
bers of  the  convention  for  the  framing  a  constitution  for  the  gov- 
erning of  the  inhabitants,  the  election  to  be  held  on  the  10th  day 
of  April  next  ensuing,  viz. :  one  election  to  be  held  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Miami  river,  and  one  to  be  held  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto 
river,  and  one  on  the  Muskingum  river,  and  one  at  the  dwelling 
9 


66  DICK1NS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

accounts,  daily  increasing.  I  would  therefore,  before  I 
proceed  further  in  this  business,  beg  to  know  the  pleasure 
of  your  Excellency  and  your  particular  orders  upon  the 
subject.1 


ARMSTRONG2  TO  HARMAR. 
Secretary's  Office,  Philadelphia,  May  10,  1785. 
Sir  : — Inclosed  is  a  second  copy  of  the  late  resolutions  of 
Congress  for  raising  a  new  regiment.      I  have   also   to 

house  of  Jonas  Menzon,  the  members  to  be  chosen  to  meet  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Scioto,  on  the  twentieth  day  of  the  same  month. 

"  I  do  certify  that  all  mankind,  agreeable  to  every  constitution 
formed  in  America,  have  an  undoubted  right  to  pass  into  every 
vacant  country,  and  there  to  form  their  constitution,  and  that  from 
the  confederation  of  the  whole  United  States,  Congress  is  not  em- 
powered to  forbid  them,  neither  is  Congress  empowered  from  that 
confederation  to  make  any  sale  of  the  uninhabited  lands  to  pay  the 
public  debts,  which  is  to  be  by  a  tax  levied  and  lifted  [collected] 
by  authority  of  the  legislature  of  each  state. 

"  John  Emerson." 

1  The  "  Representation"  mentioned  by  Col.  Harmar  in  his  letter  to 
the  President  of  Congress,  was  to  the  effect  that  the  settlers  desired 
to  aot  consistent  with  their  duty  to  their  country  and  the  commands 
of  the  Legislature,  and  asked  for  indulgence  in  time  for  removing 
their  families  and  effects.  The  petitioners  asked  delay  until  they 
could  hear  from  their  papers  which  they  had  forwarded  to  be  laid 
before  Congress.  Colonel  Harmar  replied,  allowing  the  indulgence 
mentioned  in  his  letter,  but  notifying  them  that  his  orders  were 
peremptory. 

2  John  Armstrong,  Jr.  He  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  March  25,  1783,  in 
place  of  Timothy  Matlack. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  QJ 

repeat  the  requisition  of  Council,  that  you  would  be  as 
early  in  communicating  to  them,  the  names,  etc.,  of  such 
of  the  officers  as  choose  to  continue  under  the  present 
arrangement,  as  possible. 

Captain  Finney  will  inform  you  of  another  ordinance, 
providing  for  the  discharge  of  the  troops  now  in  service. 
The  time  and  manner  of  carrying  this  into  effect  are 
committed  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  Council  are,  how- 
ever, of  opinion  that  should  no  order  of  this  kind  reach 
you  before  the  enlistment  of  the  troops  expires,  you 
will  render  a  very  important  service  to  the  state  in  keep- 
ing the  men  together  until  the  sense  of  the  Legislature  can 
be  taken  upon  the  mode  of  raising  their  proportion  of 
the  new  corps.  The  Assembly  will  begin  to  sit  sometime 
in  August.  I  have  also  to  inform  you  that  under  the 
very  improper  and  unaccountable  reduction  which  has 
been  made  in  the  pay  of  the  officers,  Council  have  thought 
it  their  duty  to  bring  about  if  possible,  a  reconsideration  of 
that  part  of  the  ordinance ;  and  they  cannot  but  natter 
themselves  that  such  an  alteration  will  yet  take  place  as 
must  make  your  continuance  in  service  as  agreeable  as 
they  could  wish  it. 


THOMSON  TO  DICKINSON. 

Secretary's  Office,  May  12,  1785. 
Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  of  transmitting  to  your  Excel- 
lency an  act  of  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled, 
for  laying  out  into  distinct  states,  the   western   territory 
ceded  to  the  Union  by  individual  states,  and  stating  the 


68  DICKINSON-HABMAB  CORRESPONDENCE. 

principle  on  which  the  temporary  and  permanent  govern- 
ments of  the  new  states  shall  be  established ;  also,  an 
ordinance  for  ascertaining  the  mode  of  disposing  of  lands 
in  the  western  territory ;  and  subsequent  measures  taken 
for  carrying  the  ordinance  into  effect. 

Having  received  no  answer  to  my  letter  of  the  12th  of 
April  last,  covering  the  acts  of  the  1st,  7th,  and  12th  of 
that  month,  relative  to  the  raising  a  body  of  troops  for 
the  purposes  therein  mentioned,  I  must  beg  the  favor  of 
your  Excellency  to  communicate  to  me  the  steps  taken 
by  your  state  for  raising  the  quota  assigned,  that  I  may 
be  enabled  to  make  report  thereof. 


KNOX1  TO  DICKINSON. 
(Circular.) 
War  Office,  New  York,  May  19,  1785. 
Sir  : — As  Secretary  of  the  United  States  for  the  War 
Department,  I  have  to  request  that  your  Excellency  will 
have  the  goodness  to  inform  me  of  the  measures  which 
have  been  adopted  by  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  to  raise 
the  proportion  of  troops  required  by  the  act  of  Congress 
of  the  12th  of  April  last. 

It  is  important  to  the  public  interest  that  these  troops 
should  be  raised  as  soon  as  possible,  as  a  great  part  of 
them  are  to   attend  the  Commissioners  of  Indian  Affairs 


\  Gen.  Henry  Knox,  Secretary  of  War. 


DICKIN80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  (J  9 

upon  the  Wabash  or  Illinois,  the  distance  of  which  places 
require  that  the  troops  should  be  put  early  into  motion 
that  the  treaty  may  be  held  in  due  season. 


DICKINSON  TO  KNOX. 
In  Council  [Philadelphia],  May  21,  1785. 

Sir  : — This  day  we  have  had  the  honor  of  receiving  your 
letter  of  the  19th.  The  act  of  Congress  of  the  12th  of 
April  has  been  transmitted  by  us  to  Col.  Harmar ;  and  as 
the  General  Assembly  is  adjourned  to  the  23d  of  August, 
we  have  given  him  our  opinion  that  if  no  order  for  the 
discharge  of  the  troops  reaches  him  before  the  enlistment 
expires,  he  will  render  an  important  service  to  the  state 
in  keeping  the  men  together  until  the  sense  of  the  Legisla- 
ture can  be  taken  upon  the  mode  of  raising  the  proportion 
of  Pennsylvania.  If  such  an  order  for  the  discharge  of 
the  troops  should  be  given,  we  apprehend  many  very  con- 
siderable inconveniences  will  necessarily  result  from  the 
measure. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  May  24,  1785. 
Sir : — I  was  honored  last  evening  with  your  letter  of 
the  26th  ultimo,  inclosing  me  the  late  resolution  of  Con- 
gress   respecting  a   new   arrangement  of  the  corps.     In- 


70 


DICK1N80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 


closed  be  pleased  to  receive  a  list  of  the  officers  who  are 
willing  to  continue  upon  the  present  establishment.1  If 
two  captains  only  are  to  be  appointed,  I  would  beg  leave 
to  recommend  seniority.  Lieutenant  Herbert  has  been 
suspended  in  his  command  the  chief  part  of  the  time  since 
the  corps  was  raised,  and,  in  my  opinion,  is  unworthy  of 
command. 

The  reduction  of  the  pay  of  officers  appears  to  be 
rather  parsimonious.  What  the  views  of  Congress  may 
be,  in  abridging  the  pay,  the  officers  know  not.  If  his  Ex- 
cellency  the   President,  and    the  Honorable  the  Council, 


1  The  list  was  as  follows  :  Names  and  rank  of  the  officers  of  the 
Pennsylvania  line  who  are  at  present  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States  and  are  willing  to  remain  upon  the  establishment  agreeable 
to  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  7th  of  April,  1785: 


Names. 

Rank. 

Dates  of  Appointment. 

Josiah  Harmar, 

Lieutenant  Colonel, 

August 

12, 

1784 

Walter  Finney, 

Captain, 

c< 

[< 

(i 

David  Ziegler, 

Captain, 

«c 

a 

tt 

William  McCurdy, 

Captain, 

it 

(C 

« 

Thomas  Douglass, 

Captain, 

tt 

n 

tt 

Joseph  Ashton, 

Lieutenant, 

tt 

tt 

u 

Stewart  Herbert, 

Lieutenant, 

i< 

«< 

n 

Erkurius  Beatty, 

Lieutenant, 

<« 

tt 

tt 

Thomas  Doyle, 

Lieutenant, 

(i 

H 

a 

John  Armstrong, 

Ensign, 

it 

M 

tt 

Ebenezer  Denny, 

Ensign, 

<( 

(( 

tt 

Nathan  McDowell, 

Ensign, 

October 

21, 

1784. 

John  McDowell, 

Surgeon, 

August 

12, 

u 

Richard  Allison, 

Mate, 

%t 

tt 

It 

D1CEINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  71 

should  think  proper  to  continue  me,  I  am  willing  to  re- 
main upon  the  present  arrangement.  Pay  and  subsist- 
ence, any  further  than  to  support  the  rank  and  dignity  of 
an  officer,  I  despise. 


HARMAR  TO  KNOX. 

Fort  McIntosh,  June  1,  1785. 

Sir  : — It  is  but  lately  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  of 
your  appointment  [as  Secretary  of  War],  otherwise,  the 
Keturns  should  have  been  forwarded  sooner. 

The  Wyandot  and  Delaware  nations  have  brought  in 
their  prisoners,  fifteen  in  number,  agreeably  to  treaty,  and 
the  hostages  left  in  my  possession  are  now  dismissed. 
These  nations  are  friendly,  and  I  believe  wish  to  culti- 
vate a  good  understanding  with  the  Americans.  The 
Shawanese  make  great  professions  of  peace,  and  are 
desirous  of  a  treaty  being  held  with  them.  The  Cherokees 
are  hostile,  and  have  killed  and  scalped  seven  people  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  about  three  hundred  and  seventy 
miles  from  here. 

Speeches  have  been  continually  sent  by  the  British 
from  Detroit  to  the  Indians  since  the  treaty  [at  Fort 
Mcintosh],  and  I  have  good  intelligence  that  several 
traders  have  been  among  them,  using  all  means  to  make 
them  entertain  a  bad  opinion  of  the  Americans.  One 
Simon  Girty,  I  am  informed,  has  been  to  Sandusky  for 
that  purpose.     I  have  taken  every  means  in  my  power  to 


72  DICEIN80NEARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

counteract  their  proceedings,  and  have  directed  the 
Indians  not  to  listen  to  their  lies,  but  to  tie  and  bring  in 
here  any  of  those  villains  who  spread  reports  among  them 
injurious  to  the  United  States,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
punished. 1 

The  Honorable  the  Commissioners  of  Indian  Affairs, 
previous  to  their  departure,  left  me  instructions  to  drive 
off  all  surveyors  or  settlers  on  the  lands  of  the  United 
States,  in  consequence  of  which  a  party  has  been  detached 
who  drove  them  off  as  far  as  seventy  miles  from  this  post. 
The  number  further  down  the  river  is  immense,  and, 
unless  Congress  enters  into  immediate  measures,  it  will  be 
impossible  to  prevent  the  lands  being  settled. 

I  have  written  .some  time  since  upon  the  subject,  re- 
questing particular  orders  how  to  conduct  myself,  as  it  is 
out  of  my  power  to  sweep  them  further  than  the  distance 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  or  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 


1  The  acknowledgement  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  by  Great  Britain,  could  it  have  been  immediately  followed 
in  the  western  country,  by  the  yielding  possession  to  the  former  of 
the  military  posts  of  the  latter,  would  have  brought  at  once  to 
terms  the  various  Indian  nations  therein  located,  and  the  loss  of 
the  fur-trade  to  the  English  would  have  been  the  result.  It  was 
therefore,  of  vital  importance  to  the  fur-trader,  that  the  different 
tribes  should  not  be  driven  from  their  hunting  grounds  northwest  of 
the  Ohio.  To  stir  up  an  animosity,  or,  rather  to  keep  alive  the  war- 
spirit  engendered  in  the  Revolution,  was  their  policy.  And  the 
agents  of  Great  Britain  were  not  bIow  in  urging  the  Indians  to 
stand  up  for  what  they  told  them  were  their  rights.  A  powerful 
agent  in  this  business  was  Simon  Girty. 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  COBBESPONDENCE.  73 

from  here.  This  is  a  matter  of  so  much  importance  that 
perhaps  you  may  judge  it  necessary  to  remind  Congress 
of  it.1 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  June  1,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  to  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council,  a  monthly  Return  of  this  date 
of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States.2  In  consequence  of  the  resolution  of  Congress  of 
the  7th  of  April  last,  I  am  daily  expecting  instructions 
from  your  Excellency  and  the  Honorable  Council  to  dis- 
charge the  men,  and  to  re-enlist  for  three  years  such  as 
are  willing  to  serve.     The  reduction  of  the  officers'  pay, 


1  This  letter  was  referred  in  Congress  to  a  committee,  who  brought 
in  a  report  approving  the  conduct  of  Colouel  Harmar  ;  also  author- 
izing him  to  remove  his  troops,  and  take  post  at  or  near  the  Ohio, 
between  Muskingum  and  the  Great  Miami,  "which  he  shall  con- 
ceive most  advisable  for  further  carrying  into  effect  the  before 
mentioned  orders,"  and  appropriating  six  hundred  dollars  for  the 
purpose  of  transporting  the  troops  and  their  baggage. 

3  Present  fit  for  duty  of  the  infantry,  were  reported  by  Col.  Harmar 
at  this  date,  156  men  ;  present,  sick,  five.  Of  the  artillery  com- 
pany, there  were  present,  fit  for  duty,  forty-six  ;  present,  sick,  two. 
Captain  Finney,  Lieutenant  Doyle  (quartermaster),  and  Surgeon 
McDowell,  were  on  furlough  ;  Lieutenant  Beatty  (the  paymaster), 
on  command.  Lieutenant  Herbert  was  still  suspended  from  his 
command  ;  no  chaplain  was  yet  appointed.  One  private  had  died 
since  the  last  Return. 
10 


74  D1CKINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

in  our  humble  opinion,  is  very  parsimonious.  The  pay  of 
the  soldiers  (provided  regular  monthly  or  weekly  pay- 
ments take  place)  is  quite  sufficient. 


HARMAR  TO  JOHNSTON.1 

Fort  McIntosh,  June  21,  1785. 

Dear  Johnston  : — I  am  hourly  expecting  the  arrival  of 
the  Commissioners,  as  I  understand  a  treaty  is  to  be  held  at 
Post  St.  Vincent.2  Between  you  and  me,  my  dear  John- 
ston, vain  and  ineffectual  will  all  treaties  be  until  we  take 
possession  of  the  posts.  One  treaty  held  at  Detroit  would 
give  dignity  and  consequence  to  the  United  States,  and 
answer  every  purpose.  The  British  have  been  sending 
speeches  among  the  Indians  continually,  since  the  treaty 
was  held  at  this  place,  the  purport  of  which  you  may  be 
assured  was  for  no  good.  The  first  grand  object,  therefore, 
in  my  humble  opinion,  would  be  to  dispossess  them  and 
then  we  shall  have  the  Indians  friendly  to  our  interest. 
The  nations  down  the  river  [Ohio]  have  killed  and 
scalped  several  adventurers  who  have  settled  on  their 
lands. 

I  wish  you  were  here  to  view  the  beauties  of  Fort  Mc. 
Intosh.  What  think  you  of  pike  of  25  lbs. ;  perch  of  15  to 
20  lbs.;  cat-fish  of  40  lbs.;  bass,  pickerel,  sturgeon,  etc.,  etc. 


1  Colonel  Francis  Johnston ;  formerly,  it  will  be  remembered,  one 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Commissioners  to  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  in 
1784,  and  to  that  of  Fort  Mcintosh,  in  1785. 

2  Now  Vincennes,  Indiana. 


DICKIN80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  75 

You  would  certainly  enjoy  yourself.  It  is  very  fortunate 
there  is  such  an  abundance  of  fish,  as  the  contractor  for 
this  place,  some  time  past,  has  failed  in  his  supplies  of  beef. 
This  would  be  a  glorious  season  for  Colonel  Wood,  or  any 
extravagant  lover  of  strawberries;  the  earth  is  most 
luxuriantly  covered  with  them ;  we  have  them  in  such 
plenty  that  I  am  almost  surfeited  with  them  ;  the  addition 
of  fine  rich  cream  is  not  lacking. 


HARMAR  TO  MIFFLIN.1 

Fort  McIntosh,  June  25,  1785. 

Dear  General : — I  am  honored  with  your  letter  of  the 
7th  of  May  last,  sent  me  by  Major  Prevost,  of  Pittsburgh. 
The  pitiful  reduction  of  the  officers'  pay,  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
account  for.  The  Commissioners  are  daily  expected  for 
the  treaty  on  the  Wabash.  In  confidence,  my  dear 
General,  1  will  assure  you,  in  my  opinion,  all  these  treaties 
will  be  ineffectual.  Possessing  the  British  posts  ought  to 
be  the  first  grand  object,  then  a  treaty  at  Detroit  would 
answer  all  purposes.  The  United  States  will  never  have 
either  dignity  or  consequence  among  the  Indians  until 
this  is  effected.2     The   official    letter,   inclosing  you  Dr. 


1  Thomas  Mifflin,  at  that  time  Speaker  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  Pennsylvania,  but  previously  President  of  Congress. 

3  This  advice  it  had  been  well  could  the  United  States  have 
acted  upon;  but  the  British  posts  were  not  given  up; — all  treaties 
with  the  Indians,  as  a  consequence,  were  "  ineffectual  "  until,  after 


76  DICK1N80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Franklin's  receipt  for  the  delivery  of  the   treaty,   etc.,  I 
hope  you  have  received. 

P.  S. — The  Indians  down  the  [Ohio]  river,  viz. :  the 
Shawanese,  Miamis,  Cherokees,  and  Kickapoos,  have 
killed  and  scalped  several  adventurers — settlers  on  their 
lands. 


ARMSTRONG  TO  KNOX. 

Secretary's  Office,  Philadelphia,  June  30,  1785. 
Sir : — In    answer  to  your   letter  of   the    23d  instant,  I 
have  the  orders  of  Council  to  inform  you  that   it  is  with 


a  bloody  war,    the  savages  were  conquered   by  Gen.  Wayne,  when 
a  lasting  one  was  signed  at  Greenville,  in  1795. 

Baron  Steuben  was  appointed  by  Washington,  July  12,  1784,  to 
receive  possession  of  the  western  posts,  and  he  proceeded  to  Canada 
for  that  purpose,  meeting  on  the  eighth  of  August,  Gen.  Haldimand, 
to  whom  he  submitted  his  instructions.  But  the  General  said  he 
had  not  received  orders  for  making  any  arrangements  to  evacuate 
the  posts,  nor  for  any  other  object  than  a  cessation  of  hostilities, 
with  which  he  had  strictly  complied.  So  the  Baron  was  obliged  to 
return  without  accomplishing  the  object  of  his  mission.  The  posts 
occupied  by  the  British  were  Oswegatchie  (now  Ogdensburgh, 
N.  Y.),  Oswego,  Niagara,  Detroit,  and  Michilimackinac.  It  may 
here  be  premised  that,  although  the  United  States  soon  made  other 
efforts  to  gain  possession  of  these  posts,  it  was  withheld  by  Great 
Britain,  on  certain  excuses,  for  more  than  twenty  years;  and  they 
were  not  even  then  given  up  until  what  is  generally  known  as 
"  the  Jay  treaty  "  had  been  ratified  by  the  two  governments. 
Meanwhile  another  post  had  been  erected  and  occupied,  by  the 
British.     It  was  on  the  Maumee,  within  the  present  limits  of  Ohio. 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  77 

great  concern  they  understand  that  the  troops  of  this 
state  under  the  command  of  Col.  Harmar  are  to  be  dis- 
charged by  order  of  Congress,  after  the  communications 
made  to  the  Secretary  at  War  by  their  letter  of  the  21st 
of  last  month,  and  that  the  circumstances  will  not  permit 
the  General  Assembly  to  be  convened  before  the  time  to 
which  they  stand  adjourned. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  July  1,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  to  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council,  a  monthly  Return  of  this  date 
of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States.1 


HARMAR  TO  KNOX. 

Fort  McIntosh,  July  16,  1785. 
Sir: — On    the    11th   inst.,  I  was   informed    that  three 
chiefs    and  twenty-five  Indians  of   the  Six  Nations  had 


1  Col.  Harmar  reports  to  the  above  date,  present  fit  for  duty,  of 
the  infantry  companies  of  Captains  Finney,  Ziegler,  and  McCurdyr 
one  hundred  and  fifty-one  ;  present,  sick,  nine.  He  also  reports 
present,  of  the  artillery  company  (Captain  Douglass'),  forty-eight. 
He  then  adds  :  "  Lieutenant  Beatty  (the  paymaster)  on  command, 
Ensign  Armstrong  on  furlough.  No  chaplain  is  yet  appointed. 
Ensign  Denny  acts  as  adjutant  pro  tern.  One  waiter  sent  to  Philadel- 
phia and  discharged  since  last  Return.  At  the  request  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  Lieutenant  Herbert,  who  was  suspended,  is  now 
restored  and  has  resumed  his  command." 


78  D1CK1N80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

arrived  at  Fort  Pitt,  and  wished  very  much  to  speak  with 
the  commanding  officer.  Agreeable  to  their  desire,  I 
rode  up  to  Pittsburgh  and  met  them  in  council,  when,  to 
my  great  surprise,  the  Cornplanter,  the  principal  chief, 
had  the  original  articles  of  the  treaty  which  was  con- 
cluded with  them  at  Fort  Stanwix  along  with  him,  and, 
toward  the  close  of  the  speech,  said  they  were  burdensome 
and  wished  to  deliver  them  up.  I  have  the  honor  to  in- 
close you  their  speech  and  my  answer  to  it. 

It  is  reported  that  a  Mr.  Brant1  has  lately  arrived  from 
London,  who,  with  the  commanding  officer  of  the  British 
in  that  quarter,  has  informed  the  Six  Nations  that  their 
lands  were  never  ceded  to  the  Americans  by  the  King  of 
Great  Britain,  in  consequence  of  which  these  chiefs  com- 
plain of  being  accused  by  their  nations  of  treachery,  and 
say  they  are  in  danger  of  their  own  people.  They  have 
left  Fort  Pitt  highly  satisfied  to  appearance  with  the 
answer  to  their  speech  ;  but  so  long  as  the  British  keep 
possession  of  the  posts,  it  is  very  evident  that  all  treaties 
held  by  us  with  the  Indians  will  have  but  little  weight 
with  them.2 


1  Capt.  Joseph  Brant  (Thayendanegea),  the  famous  Mohawk 
chief. 

'"Fort  Mcintosh,  1785. — Winter  passed  away — no  orders  for 
marching;  did  expect,  as  soon  as  the  season  would  permit,  to  mai*ch 
for  Detroit.  April  and  May  delightful  season — frequent  excursions 
into  the  country — fishing  and  hunting.  Officers  visit  Fort  Pitt,  where 
we  left  a  lieutenant  and  thirty  men.  Fort  Pitt  and  Fort  Mcintosh 
both  handsome  places.  Fort  Pitt  erected  by  the  British  long  be- 
fore the  late  war — an  elegant  work,  regular  pentagon;  vast  labor 
and  money  expended  here.     Ditch  and  parapet — with  pickets  and 


D1CEINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  79 

HARMAR  TO   ARMSTRONG. 

Fort  McIntosh,  July  17,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  have  been  honored  with  your  favor  of  the  10th 
of  May,  enclosing  me  a  duplicate  copy  of  the  resolutions 
of  Congress  for  raising  a  new  regiment;  likewise  with 
another  letter  of  the  10th  of  June,  informing  me  of  the 
requisition  from  the  War  Office  respecting  the  number  of 
officers  to  be  furnished  from  our  state.  I  have  also  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  Mr.  Trimble,  enclosing  me,  by  direc- 
tion of  Council,  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  assistant 
Secretary  at  War,  of  the  23ult.,  and  a  copy  of  the  answer 
of  Council  thereto,  for  my  information. 

By  a  letter  of  the  23d  of  June  from  Major  North,  in- 
spector, he  requests  me  to  order  the  troops  under  my  com- 
mand to  be  mustered  by  such  officer  as  I  shall  see  fit  to  ap- 
point, as  the  time  has  so  elapsed  that  it  has  been  thought 


fencing,  and  everything  in  the  most  complete  order.  Very  consid- 
erable quantity  of  military  stores  at  this  place.  Indians  come  in  to 
trade,  will  get  drunk — a  white  man  killed  by  a  drunken  Indian  at 
Pittsburgh — people  rise  and  attempt  to  put  the  Indian  to  death. 
Express  sent  to  Col.  Harmar  at  Mcintosh.  I  was  ordered  to  Pitt 
with  certain  instructions  to  Lieutenant  Ashton,  who  commanded 
there.  The  Indian  guarded  to  county  jail.  Pittsburgh  in  West- 
moreland county.  Hannastown,  about  thirty  miles  east,  the  seat 
of  justice.  Cornplanter,  chief  of  the  Senecas,  arrived  at  Pitt.  He 
had  signed  the  treaty  of  Mcintosh  [Fort  Stanwix];  was  dissatis- 
fied— his  people  reflected  on  him;  came  to  revoke.  Qol.  Harmar 
was  informed  of  this,  and  invited  up  to  Pitt — I  accompanied  him. 
Meeting  appointed  in  the  King's  Orchard.  Speeches  on  both  sides 
taken  down.  Cornplanter  dismissed  with  assurances,  &c,  but  no 
revoking." — Dentin's  Journal. 


80  DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

necessary  by  the  present  head  of  the  War  Department,  for 
him  to  postpone  his  journey  here.  In  consequence  of 
which  I  have  ordered  the  troops  to  prepare  for  muster  on 
the  19th  inst. 

Council  may  rest  assured  that  I  shall  use  every  exertion 
in  my  power  to  keep  the  men  together  until  the  sense  of 
the  Legislature  can  be  taken  upon  the  mode  of  raising  this 
proportion  of  the  new  corps.  The  men's  times  begin  to 
expire  on  the  19th  of  next  month  ;  nevertheless,  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  retain  them  in  service  until  the  pleasure 
of  the  Legislature  is  known,  and  until  I  receive  instruc- 
tions from  Council  for  re-enlisting  them. 

Major  North  also  writes  me  "  that  the  paymaster,  upon 
appearing  at  New  York  with  the  abstracts  for  pay,  will 
receive  in  notes  the  amount  due  to  each  man  to  the  time 
they  are  mustered ;  and,  upon  a  certificate  signed  by  me 
of  the  time  in  which  each  man's  enlistment  will  expire, 
he  supposes  that  a  sum  on  account,  sufficient  to  pay  them 
to  the  time  of  their  discharge  will  be  granted." 

The  name  of  notes  conveys  to  the  officers  an  idea  of 
discounts — twenty  or  five-and-twenty  per  cent,  perhaps. 
If  Council  can  consistently  interfere,  they  flatter  them- 
selves that  they  will  take  their  own  officers  and  troops 
under  their  immediate  protection,  and  either  secure  to 
them  the  promised  pay,  or  order  these  notes  to  be  nego- 
tiated in  such  manner  as  they  in  their  wisdom  shall  see 
fit,  to  gua/d  against  depreciation. 

We  learn  with  pleasure  that  Council  are  endeavoring 
to  bring  about  a  re-consideration  of  that  part  of  the  ordi- 
nance of  Congress  respecting  the  reduction  of  the  pay  of 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  %\ 

the  officers.  The  disproportion  is  so  great  that  the  stroke 
seems  to  be  particularly  levelled  at  me.  Fifty  dollars  per 
month  will  not  support  the  station.  We  would  fain  hope 
that  an  alteration  may  yet  take  place. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  August  1,  1785. 
Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  to  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council,  a  monthly  Return  of  this 
date  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States.1  The  troops  have  been  mustered  up  to  the 
19th  ult.,  and  the  rolls  transmitted  to  Major  North,  in- 
spector. Enclosed  be  pleased  to  receive  an  abstract  of 
the  muster.2 


1  By  the  Return  of  Col.  Harmar  of  August  1,  1785,  the  infantry 
companies  of  Captains  Finney,  Ziegler  and  McCurdy,  were  able  to 
report  as  present,  fit  for  duty,  one  hundred  and  forty-six  men  ;  four 
present,  sick  ;  while  the  artillery  company  (Captain  Douglass'), 
reported  present,  fit  for  duty,  36  ;  sick,  present,  2  ;  on  command, 
10  ;  total — 48.  Col.  Harmar  also  remarks  :  "  Captain  McCurdy, 
Captain  Douglass  and  Ensign  Armstrong  are  on  furlough.  Lieut. 
Ashton,  one  sergeant,  one  corporal,  one  bombardier,  two  gunners, 
seven  matrosses  and  eight  privates  are  on  command  at  Fort  Pitt." 

8  The  **  abstract  of  the  muster  of  a  detachment  of  the  First 
American  Regiment,  commanded  by  Josiah  Harmar,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Commanding  [dated  at]  Fort  Mcintosh,  July  19,  1785," 
gives  fifty-five  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  in  Captain 
Finney's  company  of  infantry  ;  sixty-one  in  Captain  Ziegler's  com- 
pany ;  and  fifty-nine  in  Captain  McCurdy's.  The  whole  number  in 
Captain  Douglass'  artillery  company  was  forty-eight.  Of  these,  the 
term  of  service  of  112  expired  in  August,  1785  ;  that  of  101,  in 
September  ;  nine,  in  October  ;  and  one,  in  December. 
11 


82  DICKIN80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Although  I  can  receive  no  instructions  for  recruiting 
until  the  Honorable  Legislature  convenes,  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council  may  rest  assured  that  I  shall 
use  every  exertion  in  my  power  to  retain  the  troops  in 
service.  Their  time  begins  to  expire  on  the  19th  instant. 
I  shall  take  upon  me  to  form  an  enlistment  for  securing 
such  as  are  willing  to  serve  for  three  years,  until  your 
Excellency's  further  pleasure  is  known. 

The  Ohio  river  at  this  season,  is  remarkably  low  and 
usually  continues  so  during  this  and  the  next  month. 
It  is  now  fordable  opposite  the  garrison.  The  treaty  to 
the  Wabash,  therefore,  cannot  possibly  be  carried  on 
before  the  month  of  October  or  November  next1.  I  would 
not  wish  to  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  in  recruiting.  There 
are  at  least  fifty  men  in  the  present  corps  who  are  not  fit 
to  be  re-enlisted.  A  little  time  would  procure  a  corps  that 
will  reflect  honor  to  the  state.  If  about  five-and-twenty 
rifles  could  be  obtained  to  occasionally  arm  that  number 
of  infantry,  I  should  think  it  advisable.  I  have  ordered 
Ensign  Armstrong  to  receive  your  Excellency's  instruc- 
tions, and  when  he  has  recruited  thirty  stout,  able-bodied 
men  to  rejoin  the  corps. 


KNOX  TO  DICKINSON. 

War  Office  [New  York],  August  9,  1785. 
Sir : — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  to  your  Excellency 
a   resolution     of    Congress    respecting    the   corps    under 


1  This  treaty  was  in  fact  "  carried  on  "  not  upon  the  Wabash  but 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Miami. 


BICKINSONEARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  g3 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Harmar.1  The  Legislatures  of  Con- 
necticut and  New  York  only  have  assembled  since  the 
requisition  of  Congress  for  troops  in  April  [last],  and 
therefore  there  is  a  total  deficiency  of  those  to  be  fur- 
mished  by  Pennsylvania  and  [New]  Jersey.  The  whole 
number  voted  by  Congress  will  be  necessary  to  prevent 
incroachments  on  the  public  lands  and  for  the  protection 
of  the  Commissioners  of  Indian  Affairs.  I  am  persuaded 
your  Excellency  and  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  will 
be  impressed  with  the  importance  of  taking  the  earliest 
measures  to  retain  as  many  of  the  best  soldiers  under  Col. 
Harmar  as  possible. 


DICKINSON  TO  [GEN.  KNOX]  SECRETARY  AT  WAR. 
In  Council,  [Philadelphia],  August  13,  1785. 

Sir : — We  have  this  day  received  your  letter  of  the 
ninth  instant,  with  the  resolution  of  Congress  of  the  20th 
of  last  month.  That  resolution,  transmitted  to  us  by  the 
Secretary  of  Congress,  we  forwarded  several  days   ago  to 


1  "By  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled.  July  20,  1785. 
On  the  report  of  a  committee  to  whom  was  referred  a  letter  of  the 
1 8th,  from  the  Secretary  of  War. 

"  Resolved,  That  Lieutenant  Colonel  Harmar,  commander  of  the 
militia  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  use  his  best  endeavors 
to  retain  in  service  the  militia  of  Pennsylvania  under  his  command 
whose  times  of  service  are  nearly  expiring,  until  the  Legislature  of 
that  state  shall  be  in  session  and  determine  on  furnishing  its  quota 
of  troops  under  the  resolutions  of  the  1st,  7th  and  12th  of  April 
last." 


84  D1CKIN80NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Col.  Harmar.  By  a  letter  from  him  this  moment  come  to 
our  hands,  we  are  "  assured  that  every  exertion  shall  be 
used  to  keep  the  men  together  until  the  sense  of  the 
[Pennsylvania]  Legislature  can  be  taken." 

By  your  letter  of  the  25th  of  April,  we  perceive  that 
one  captain  and  two  lieutenants  of  artillery  and  two 
captains,  two  lieutenants  and  two  ensigns  of  infantry,  are 
assigned  to  this  state.  This  is  the  same  arrangement 
that  was  for  it  meditated  last  year,  but  upon  our  represen- 
tations was  amended,  and  three  captains,  three  lieutenants 
and  three  ensigns  of  infantry  were  appointed  by  this  Com- 
monwealth, besides  a  captain  and  two  lieutenants  of 
artillery. 

The  whole  regiment  is  to  consist  of  ten  companies  and 
seven  hundred  men  and  therefore  each  company  will  con- 
sist of  seventy  men.  Three  companies  and  fifty  men  are 
required  from  Pennsylvania  and  only  officers  for  three 
companies  are  allotted  to  her.  As  the  officers  now  com- 
missioned [by  Pennsylvania]  would  choose  to  continue 
in  the  service,  we  cannot  think  of  dismissing  them,  and 
therefore  hope  that  on  further  consideration,  as  the  reso- 
lutions of  Congress  this  year  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
last,  the  same  arrangements  will  now  be  made  that  finally 
took  place  last  year. 


HARMAR  TO  DICKINSON. 

Fort  McIntosh,  September  1,  1785. 

Sir : — I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  to  your  Excellency 
and  the  Honorable  Council,  a  monthly  Return  of  this  date, 


DICK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  35 

of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States.1  The  time  of  one-half  the  men  has  expired,  and 
notwithstanding  I  have  used  every  exertion  in  my  power 
to  retain  them  in  service  until  the  Honorable  Legislature 
convened,  such  is  their  want  of  confidence  in  the  public 
respecting  their  pay  and  their  wish  to  go  down  the 
country,  that  I  find  it  impossible  to  re-engage  them  here 
according  to  my  former  expectations. 

As  Congress  have  been  pleased  to  revise  their  resolu- 
tions and  to  order  that  only  one  full  company  of  infantry 
shall  attend  the  treaty,  which  is  to  be  held  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Great  Miami,  I  think  it  may  be  reduced  to  a  cer- 
tainty that  I  shall  be  able  to  re-enlist  that  number.  Forty- 
four  are  already  engaged,  and  two  officers  are  at  Fort  Pitt 
on  the  recruiting  service,  who,  when  the  men  have  had 
out  their  frolic,  I  trust  will  be  successful.2 


Not  found. 


8  "  Summer  nearly  gone.  Men  have  been  enlisted  but  for  one 
year  ;  orders  to  re-enlist  for  three.  Of  the  four  [Pennsylvania] 
companies,  we  re-engaged  seventy  effective  men — rest  all  discharged. 
Officers  went  on  the  recruiting  service.  Anxious  to  know  how  I 
was  to  be  disposed  of.  Proper  complement  of  officers  kept  for  the 
new  company.  Did  count  upon  returning  over  the  mountains,  but 
would -have  preferred  remaining  at  Pittsburgh.  Dislike  the  re- 
cruiting service.  The  new  company  ordered  to  prepare  to  embark 
for  the  Great  Miami,  where  another  treaty  is  intended  to  be  held. 
Generals  Butler  and  Parsons,  two  of  the  Commissioners,  arrive. 
The  party  all  ready  to  descend  the  river,  when  the  Colonel  [Harmar] 
instructed  me  to  prepare  and  accompany  them  ;  this,  to  me,  was 
very  unexpected.  The  company  has  its  complement  of  officers  ; 
I  was  extra.     Must  move." — Denny's  Journal. 


86  D1CK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

Enclosed  is  the  form  of  an  enlistment,  which,  is  copied 
from  the  old  one,  excepting  the  alteration  of  the  resolve 
of  Congress  and  the  substitution  of  three  years  instead  of 
one.  No  justice  of  the  peace  being  at  hand,  I  judged  it 
would  advance  the  public  service  by  administering  the 
oath  myself. 

The  bearer,  Captain  Ziegler,  a  very  deserving  officer, 
has  orders  to  wait  upon  your  Excellency  and  the  Hon- 
orable Council,  for  recruiting  instructions.  After  having 
re-engaged  about  ninety  or  one  hundred  men  in  this 
quarter,  I  propose  going  to  Philadelphia  to  complete  the 
business.  The  men  who  have  been  discharged  and  are 
gone  downwards1,  will  soon  be  tired  of  work ;  and  I  am 
well  convinced  there  will  be  little  difficulty  in  speedily 
recruiting  the  quota  of  troops  required  from  our  state. 


DICKINSON  TO  PENNSYLVANIA  DELEGATES  IN 
CONGRESS. 

In  Council,  [Philadelphia],  September  7,  1785. 

Gentlemen  : — We  inclose  copies  of  two  letters  from  the 
War  Office  and  of  one  from  us  respecting  the  proportion 
of  officers  and  privates  in  the  federal  regiment  to  be 
furnished  by  this  state  and  of  the  late  of  Assembly  on 
that  subject. 

To  the  confederation  and  to  that  law  we  shall  hold  our- 
selves bound  to  adhere ;  and  therefore  we  desire  that  you 


1  That  is,    "  down  the   country  " — over   the   mountains  to   their 
homes  in  the  east. 


DICK1NS0NHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  87 

will  immediately  apply  to  Congress  and  obtain  their  assent 
to  the  arrangement  adopted  and  executed  last  year,  upon 
which  Pennsylvania  supplied  one  lieutenant  colonel  com- 
mandant, three  captains,  three  lieutenants,  and  three 
ensigns  of  infantry,  and  one  captain  and  one  lieutenant  of 
artillery. 


ARMSTRONG  TO  KNOX. 

Philadelphia,  Secretary's  Office,  October  20,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  from  the 
resolutions  of  Council  of  the  8th  of  September  and  20th  of 
October,  1785,  it  appears  that  the  following  gentlemen 
were  appointed  to  command  the  quota  of  troops  required 
from  this  state,  in  forming  the  regiment  of  federal  militia, 
agreeably  to  an  ordinance  of  Congress  and  a  law  of  this 
Commonwealth,  viz.:  Lieutenant  Colonel  Commandant — 
Josiah  Harmar ;  Captains — Walter  Finney,  David  Ziegler 
and  Wm.  McCurdy ;  Lieutenants  of  Infantry — Erkurius 
Beatty,  Thomas  Doyle  and  John  Armstrong;  Ensigns — 
Nathaniel  McDowell,  Ebenezer  Denny  and  Edward  Spear ; 

Captain  of  Artillery Ferguson  ;  Lieutenant  of 

Artillery — Joseph    Ash  ton ;    Surgeon — John    McDowell ; 
Surgeon's  Mate — Richard  Allison.1 


1  "  [In  Council]  Philadelphia,  Thursday,  September  8,  1785. 

"  An  act  for  furnishing  the  quota  of  troops  required  by  Congress 
for  the  protection  of  the  northwestern  frontiers  and  for  other 
purposes,  passed  on  the  sixth  day  of  September,  1785  [by  the 
General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania],  being  transmitted  to  Council,  an 
order  was  taken  that  the  following  persons  be  continued  in  the 


88  D1CKINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 


DOUGHTY1  TO  KNOX. 

Fort  McIntosh,  October  21,  1785. 
I  have  the  honor  to  inclose  you  a  copy  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  a  conference  held  at  this  place  between  myself  and 
some  Delaware  and  Wyandot  Indians,  who  came  to  me 
in  consequence  of  the  affair  at  Tuscarawas,  which  I  men- 
tioned to  you  in  my  letter  of  the  5th  of  October.2  I  beg 
leave  to  submit  to  you   the  inclosed  information  of  John 


command  of  the  troops  aforesaid  :  Josiah  Harrnar,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Commandant.  Of  Infantry — WalterNFinney,  David  Ziegler, 
William  McCurdy,  Captains  ;  Erkurius  Beatty,  Thomas  Doyle, 
John  Armstrong,  Lieutenants  ;  Ebenezer  Denny,  Nathaniel 
McDowell,  Ensigns.  Joseph  Ashton,  Lieutenant  of  Artillery ; 
John  McDowell,  Surgeon  ;  Richard  Allison,  Mate. 

"  Ordered,  that  the  commission  of  lieutenant  issued  by  this  board 
to  Stewart  Herbert,  Esquire,  be  and  is  hereby  revoked. 

"  Ordered,  that  the  further  appointments  of  a  captain  of  artillery 
and  ensign  of  infantry  be  postponed  for  consideration." 

"[In  Council],  Philadelphia,  Thursday,   October  20,  1785. 
"  Council  this  day  proceeded  to  the  appointment  of  a  captain  of 
artillery  and  ensign  of  infantry,  to  complete  the  number  of  officers 
required  of  this  state,  in  forming  the  federal  militia  regiment  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Josiah   Harrnar,   when Ferguson,  Esq., 

was  appointed  captain  of  artillery,  and  Edward  Spear,  ensign  of 
infantry." 

1  Capt.  John  Doughty,  "  Major  Commandant  "  at  Fort  Mcintosh, 
under  Col.  Harrnar.  He  commanded  a  New  York  company  of 
artillery,  reaching  Fort  Mcintosh  Sept.  7,  1785.     See  next  letter. 

3  Not  found. 


DICKINSON-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  go, 

Leith1  and  Alexander  McCormick.  The  latter  is  a  trader 
who  lives  at  the  Ottawa  towns.  He  is  warmly  recom- 
mended to  me  by  Col.  Harmar  as  a  friend  to  the  country. 
He  tells  me  it  is  impossible  to  get  his  effects  from  that 
country  this  fall,  which  obliges  him  to  winter  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Detroit,  From  the  circumstance  of  being 
within  the  power  of  the  British,  he  requests  that  his  name 
may  not  be  known.  He  appears  to  be  an  intelligent 
man,  and  well  acquainted  with  Indian  affairs.2 

Notwithstanding  the  submission  of  the  Delaware  and 
Wyandot  Indians  made  to  me  at  the  conference,  and  their 
professions  of  peace,  I  am  induced  to  believe  that  their 
dispositions  are  hostile,  because  in  the  murder  of  Cham- 
bers at  Tuscarawas,  there  were  twenty  or  thirty  Dela- 
ware Indians,  with  one  of  their  chiefs,  present ;  and  it 
does  not  appear  that  they  took  any  steps  to  prevent  the 
outrage  of  the  seven  Wyandots,  except  to  save  the  life 
and  property  of  their  friend  Leith,  who  was  an  adopted 
brother ;  besides,  Mr.  McCormick  informs  me  that  he  is 
well  assured  that  the  murder  committed  at  the  mouth  of 


1  The  information  here  spoken  of  as  given  by  John  Leith  will  be 
found  in  full  in  Wm.  Henry  Smith's  "  St.  Clair  Papers,"  Vol.  II, 
p.  632.  "  A  Short  Biography  of  John  Leeth  [Leith]"  was  published 
in  1831,  at  Lancaster,  O.,  in  which  the  affair  at  Tuscarawas  is  men- 
tioned. A  reprint  of  this  Biography,  with  Illustrative  Notes  by 
C.  W.  Butterfield,  was  published  in  1883,  by  Robert  Clarke  &  Co., 
of  Cincinnati. 

*The  statement  of  Alexander  McCormick  is  given  in   full  in  the 
"St.  Clair  Papers,"  Vol.  II,  p.  10.     It  is,  also,  along  with  Leith's, 
reprinted  in  the  Cincinnati  edition  of  "  Leith's  Biography." 
12 


90  D1CKINSONHARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

the  Hockhocking,  this  summer,  of  five  or  six  people, 
was  done  by  the  Wyandots  and  Delawares ;  indeed,  every 
account  that  I  have  had  confirms  me  in  the  opinion  that 
we  shall  have  trouble  in  this  country  ere  long,  unless  some- 
thing is  done  at  the  present  treaty  [the  one  to  be  holden 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami]  to  avert  the  storm ;  and 
I  must  confess  my  expectations  are  not  very  flattering  from 
this  quarter,  because  I  am  well  informed  that  some 
nations  will  not  go  to  it,  and  those  that  do  go  have  no 
idea  of  ceding  their  lands  to  us  upon  the  terms  of  the  last 
treaty  [the  one  held  at  Fort  Mcintosh].  The  Indian 
representation  at  this  place  last  winter  was  so  very 
partial  from  the  few  tribes  that  appeared  and  the  objects 
of  the  treaty  of  so  general  concern,  that  the  terms  of  it  are 
far  from  being  considered  as  binding  upon  the  tribes  to 
the  westward. 

This  treaty  [at  Fort  Mcintosh]  and  the  one  at  Fort 
Stanwix,  with  the  steps  the  Honorable  the  Continental 
Congress  have  thought  fit  to  take  in  sending  out  the  sur- 
veyors1, have  had  the  effect  to  unite  the  Indians  and  in- 
duce them  to  make  a  common  cause  of  what  they  suppose 
their  present  grievances.  They  are  told  by  the  British, 
and  they  are  full  in  the  persuasion,  that  the  territory  in 
question  was  never  ceded  to  us  by  Britain  further  than 
respects  the  jurisdiction  or  putting  the  Indians  under  the 
protection  of  the  United  States.  From  this  reasoning, 
they  draw  a  conclusion   that  our  claim  in  consequence  of 


1  Surveyors  had   been    sent  out  by  the   General  Government  to 
survey  lands  beyond  the  Ohio.     See  next  letter. 


D1CK1N80N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  91 

that  cession  ought  not  to  deprive  them  of  their  lands 
without  purchase.  I  believe  you  may  depend  upon  it 
that  this  is  the  reasoning  of  their  chiefs.  I  am  so  in- 
formed by  several  persons  who  have  been  among  them. 
Our  acting  upon  the  late  treaty  made  at  this  place  last 
winter,  in  beginning  to  survey  their  country,  is  certainly 
one  great  cause  of  their  present  uneasiness. 

If  a  confederacy  of  the  Indian  tribes  to  the  westward 
should  take  place,  of  which  there  is  a  prospect,  they  will 
become  very  formidable  from  their  numbers.  Should  an 
event  of  this  kind  appear  probable,  from  what  information 
Congress  may  have  before  them,  it  appears  to  me  evi- 
dently for  our  interest  that  some  steps  should  be  taken  to 
engage  some  of  their  nations  in  our  favor ;  in  this  case,  I 
beg  leave  to  offer  it  as  my  opinion  that  one  great  step  to  be 
pursued  should  be  a  distribution  of  a  few  presents  among 
them,  and  a  constant  intercourse  with  them  by  emissaries 
well  acquainted  with  their  language  and  manners,  who 
shall  always  be  in  their  towns,  counteracting  the  unfavor- 
able impressions  that  are  daily  forming  against  us.  This 
policy  was  pursued  by  the  French,  and  is  now  by  the 
British,  whose  agents  are  constantly  in  their  towns, 
conciliating  their  friendships  and  trade  to  the  almost  total 
exclusion  of  our  people.1 


^his  letter,  considering  the  short  time  Capt.  Doughty  had 
been  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  is  certainly  a  remarkable  one.  He  had  a 
clear  idea  of  the  dangers  which  threatened  the  Government  be- 
yond the  Ohio.  He  had  already  divined  the  real  cause  of  the  dis- 
satisfaction of  the  Indians;  and,  had  his  advice  been  taken,  possibly 
the  Indian  war  which  followed  might  have  been  averted.   t 


92  D1CK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 


HARMAR  TO  KNOX. 

Philadelphia,  October  22,  1785. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  of  my  arrival  at 
this  place  on  the  7th  inst.  Previous  to  my  leaving  Fort 
Mcintosh,  the  following  arrangements  were  made  to  the 
westward,  viz.:  a  full  company  of  infantry  was  raised 
with  much  difficulty  from  the  remains  of  the  old  Pennsyl- 
vania quota,  and  embarked  under  command  of  Captain 
Finney,  with  General  Butler,  on  the  29th  ult.,  to  attend 
the  treaty  which  was  to  be  held  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Great  Miami. 

After  the  treaty  is  concluded,  I  have  given  Captain 
Finney  written  orders  to  secure  himself  from  insult  at  the 
Miami  by  fortifying  his  winter  quarters,  or  if  the  Commis- 
sioners should  be  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  most  eligible 
to  assume  any  other  position,  as  I  conceive  them  best 
acquainted  with  that  part  of  the  country,  his  orders  are 
to  obey  their  directions  on  that  head.  On  the  7th  ult.s 
Captain  [John]  Doughty 's  company  of  artillery  arrived  at 
Fort  Mcintosh.  I  gave  him  written  orders  to  take  post 
at  or  near  the  mouth  of  Muskingum,  about  one  hundred 
and  forty  miles  below  [Fort]  Mcintosh  and  to  stockade  or 
pallisade  himself  for  his  own  security,  as  he  should  judge 
most  proper.1  Captain  [Jonathan]  Heart's  company  of 
infantry  I  met  on  the  7th  inst.,  upon  the  Laurel  Hill, 
about  four  days  march  from  Fort  Pitt.     I  have  given  him 


1  This  resulted  in  the  erection  afterward  of  Fort  Harniar,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Muskingum. 


D1CK1NS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE.  93 

orders  to  expedite  his  march,  as  he  would  be  011  time  to 
go  down  the  river  with  Captain  Doughty,  and  to  put  him- 
self under  his  command.1 

This  position  at  [the  mouth  of  the]  Muskingum  will 
answer  the  valuable  object  of  removing  the  intruders  from 
the  public  lands2  should  any  hereafter  presume  to  en- 
croach upon  them,  which  I  do  not  believe  will  be  the  case, 
as  shortly  before  I  left  [Fort]  Mcintosh,  they  sent  up  to 
me  a  most  humble  representation  in  behalf  of  the  whole, 
purporting  that  they  were  convinced  that  they  had  be- 
haved disorderly,  and  praying,  as  the  last  indulgence,  that 
they  might  only  be  permitted  to  stay  a  short  time  and 
gather  their  crops,  after  which  they  would  instantly  de- 
part. Lenity  I  thought  to  be  out  of  the  question,  and 
have  directed  Captain  Doughty,  on  his  way  down,  to  burn 
and  destroy  any  remaining  cabins  between  [Fort]  Mc 
Intosh  and  Muskingum.3  It  will  also  cover  the  Conti- 
nental surveyors,  in  some  measure,  in  their  laying  off  the 


1  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  Capt.  Heart  and  his  company 
made  a  short  stay  at  Pittsburgh. 

3  The  position  which  was  chosen  was  a  good  one  ;  but  the  object 
it  answered  proved  quite  a  different  one  from  that  suggested  by 
Col.  Harmar  ;  for  he  soon  had  to  deal  with  hostile  Indians  instead 
of  white  settlers. 

3  Notwithstanding  the  efforts  put  forth  by  Harmar  and  the  offi- 
cers under  him,  the  trespassers  upon  the  lands  west  and  northwest 
of  the  Ohio  were  not  all  driven  to  the  east  side  of  that  river. 
There  were  some,  it  is  certain,  who  did  not  return;  but  these  were 
not  gathered  together  in  any  numbers;  they  were  of  a  roving  class. 
The  first  permanent  settlement  was  that  of  Marietta,  in  1788. 


94  D1CKINS0N-HARMAR  CORRESPONDENCE. 

seven  ranges  of  townships1  and  convince  the  Indians  that 
Congress  means  to  protect  the  legal  settlers  on  the  lands 
ceded  to  them  by  the  treaty.  For  these  reasons  I  judged 
it  a  preferable  position  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  which 
I  thought  to  be  rather  too  far  down  the  [Ohio]  river.2 
Having  thus  arranged  matters  to  the  westward,  I  have, 
agreeably  to  your  permission,  repaired  to  this  place,  in 
order  to  expedite  the  recruiting  service. 


1  The  surveying  of  Government  lands  beyond  the  Ohio  was  first 
authorized  by  the  Ordinance  of  May  20,  1785.  It  was  put  in  charge 
of  Thomas  Hutchins,  the  geographer.  The  work  commenced  in 
September,  1785,  at  the  point  where  the  west  boundary  line  of 
Pennsylvania  crosses  the  Ohio  river.  Fear  of  the  Indians  soon  in- 
terrupted the  work  and  the  survey  was  abandoned  for  the  season. 

s  It  will  be  remembered  that  Col.  Harmar  was  authorized  by  Con- 
gress to  remove  his  troops  down  the  river — between  Muskingum  and 
the  Great  Miami  —  the  better  to  carry  out  his  plans  against  the 
settlers  beyond  the  Ohio.  It  was  under  this  authority  that  Fort 
Harmar  was  afterward  erected  near  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum. 
(See  Harmar  to  Knox,  June  1,  1785,  ante,  and  the  notes  thereto, 
as  to  action  of  Congress  concerning  the  removal  of  troops  down  the 
Ohio.) 

At  the  commencement  of  October,  Gen.  Richard  Butler,  passing 
down  the  Ohio  to  hold  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Miami  river,  found  settlements  at  intervals  on  the  Indian  side 
of  the  Ohio  from  the  mouth  of  Yellow  creek  to  a  point  well  nigh 
opposite  that  of  the  Great  Kanawha.  Butler  did  what  he  could  on 
his  downward  trip  to  warn  off  the  persistent  settlers,  giving  orders 
to  one  of  the  army  officers  who  was  also  to  descend  the  river  to 
the  Muskingum,  "  to  pull  down  every  house  on  his  way,"  some 
of  those  recently  demolished  having  already  been  rebuilt  by  the 
determined  bordermen. 


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